The Boyfriend (2013)
by SEZCPL
Summary: (Revised 2013) College life is about expanding your mind - but no-one ever said it would be like this. The Boyfriend Challenge is a dorm competition which pits might against mind, couple against couple and Rosie thinks Casey is perfect for it...Except Casey is currently single and Rosie's solution involves a certain step-brother.
1. Hair Dye and Catch-ups

"So I was thinking…what about mocha?"

Casey stopped walking suddenly and looked at her friend in disbelief.

"_Mocha?_"

The friend shrugged in response.

"Well, I figure, caramel is too light and black is too heavy. Mocha is a nice in-between colour. I don't want to be a dizzy blonde." The young girl talked with her hands so it was advisable to duck when in her vicinity. Casey was used to it, however.

"Your hair colour is fine, why mess with it." Casey frowned as she walked on.

Rosie trotted along beside her friend. "It looked good on the packet, though." Then she sighed. "I know, I know. It _always_ looks good on the packet. I just hate having mousy hair. Guys go for blondes or brunettes they never go for mousy haired girls. It explains why I'm single."

Casey chuckled as they turned onto the main path and approached the steps up into the building.

"I think there is probably just a shortage of guys who meet our exacting standards. I appreciate there are plenty of males. They just aren't evolved enough for us."

"Hmmph! At least you dated in high school."

"Yes, but my tastes have matured since then. I learnt a lot from dating guys like Truman - and Jessie."

"I'll bet. I've seen Truman's picture." In Rosie's opinion guys like him ate girls like her for dinner.

Casey blushed. "You have a dirty mind. It wasn't like that."

"Oh…why not?"

"Well to be honest I didn't trust him enough. He cheated on me a couple of times. Anyway, I'm waiting for a guy who has a lot more maturity." She paused as she looked ahead and did a double-take. "Unlike some of _these_ disgusting specimens."

Rosie glanced up in surprise. Casey's voice had risen uncharacteristically to a shout, as they passed a group of guys lounging on the steps of the college gym.

"Casey, keep your voice down." Rosie hissed seeing all future possibility of couple-hood with one of her male peers disappearing down the toilet with every sniff of disdain from her friend.

"Yeah, Casey. Keep your voice down." A third voice joined in. "Some of these _disgusting_ specimens might hear you."

Rosie groaned as the owner of the voice - one of the (hottest) guys - stood up and approached them. Casey stopped and fixed him with perfect blue eyes. Amusement-filled brown eyes stared back. Casey's jaw-tightened.

"Ah! A case in point. Neanderthal man emerges from his dormant state; to hunt, eat pizza and stalk the female prey."

The opposition snorted.

"I don't need to stalk, honey. They come to me."

Casey rolled her eyes to the sky and Rosie cringed.

"You know, jerk, someone should have told you a long time ago that boasting to girls about how easy it is for you to get other girls is not going to impress them."

"You think I'm trying to impress you?" he laughed. "In your dreams, sweetheart."

"Of course I don't think you're trying to impress me. My breasts aren't big enough." Bored, Casey began to walk away.

"Unlike your mouth and your butt." He called after her.

Casey turned on the spot. "Did you really just admit to checking out my butt?" she asked, amused.

"McDonald, no one could miss your butt. It's enormous."

It was a lie but he was a natural…and something Casey was more than used to.

"Are we talking about my butt or your ego?"

"Hey. My ego needs to be big, to keep up with my Id. You know… my libido."

"God help us! He attended a lecture!"

They were in each other's faces now. Rosie wondered how Casey managed to do this – piss off the really hot guys on campus. It was probably why they were both currently single.

"Casey…" She warned.

Casey ignored her. So did her fellow combatant.

"You're still alive then?" he murmured, his fingers reaching out and pulling a lock of her hair. She was sure he'd meant to pull harder than he did.

"It would appear so. Why? Did you miss me?" She whispered back. Their eyes locked.

"Over my dead body, Space-case." He said smirking at her. Then his eyes lit on Casey's companion and the look of sheer terror on her face. "Does your friend know who I am?"

Rosie shook her head slowly as Casey answered the question.

"No. I don't exactly keep photos of you in my dorm."

"You don't? I have one of you…on my dartboard. Your mouth is the bullseye."

"You're a jerk, Derek."

"Ah but I'm your Jerk."

Casey raised her eyebrow.

Derek explained. "I only fight with you. All the other girls love me. Even Mousy over there."

"You and your STDs."

As soon as the words left her lips Casey knew she had over-stepped the mark. They weren't friends and they argued constantly but there are some things you _just don't say_.

Derek suddenly looked annoyed and grabbed her arm.

"You have a really low opinion of me don't you?" He hissed.

"Born of years of experience." Casey was slightly unnerved. And backtracked accordingly.

"You have _no idea_ what I'm like at all with girls."

"Derek. You've been parading girls in front of me for four years. Of course I know what you are like with girls."

"You're wrong, Casey." He said softly.

"What makes you think I care?" She replied equally softly.

He dropped her arm and pushed her away.

"You know what, McDonald? I don't."

And then he walked away.

"Is that the way you normally pick up guys?" Rosie asked, amuses as they resumed their progress across the quad.

Casey, still shaken, snorted. "I wouldn't date him if the fate of the human race depended on it."

"What did he do to annoy you so much in such a short space of time?"

"Four years is not a short space of time. But come to think of it, the original argument only lasted five minutes as well."

Rosie stopped dead still. "Four years? You know him?" and then in awe, "Is he an ex?"

"Unfortunately not. He's a current." Casey was distracted.

"A current what? _Boyfriend_?" Rosie was confused.

"Brother." Her friend finally admitted.

"Brother?!"

When Casey had talked about her family over the past three weeks, she had not mentioned a brother.

"Well…strictly speaking he's my _step_-brother, but it's the same difference, right?" Now Casey wore a different expression, one a lot less disinterested.

Rosie wasn't that stupid. "No. Not exactly."

Casey sighed. "Anyway, Derek is my step-brother and an annoying jerk." She explained.

Rosie looked at the excitement dancing in her friend's eyes. _An annoying jerk who Casey evidently liked fighting with…a lot._

"A rather hot jerk." Rosie pointed out.

Casey looked at her in disgust. "Oh for godssake, don't you start. I'm not having another friend who drools over him."

Rosie shook her head. "I'm not going to drool over him." _I'm not that stupid. I saw the way _he_ looked at _you_._ "But you cannot tell me that you haven't noticed he's a good-looking guy." She raised an eyebrow at Casey and adopted a superior tone. "If you do, I won't believe you."

Casey looked over at Derek who had rejoined his friends. He was saying something to them and then he looked over at her and smirked.

"Believe me. The beauty is only skin deep." She said grimacing.

* * *

The dorm was quiet when they got back, which was how Casey liked it. Most of the time there was something going on so studying in her room was impossible. Instead for studying purposes, Casey relied on the peace and quiet of the library, an institution that had ceased to be the destination of choice for students round about the time of the invention of the Claxton printing press.

Currently, however, it was the middle of the afternoon, and most people were still at lectures or in the quad. It meant the shared lounge area with its little kitchen was empty, so Rosie and Casey decided to make themselves a snack and settle on one of the battered old couches provided for "comfort".

"Hey! Have you seen this?" Rosie asked almost as soon as she had perched with her sandwich. She was pointing at a new poster that had appeared on the dorm noticeboard. It had a picture of a trophy with a massive pink love heart on it.

Casey walked into the room from the kitchen area with her own plate in her hand. "What is it?"

Rosie swallowed a mouthful of sandwich quickly. "It's something called "The Boyfriend challenge cup"." She explained.

"Which neither of you two would win in a million years."

A voice spoke from the sofa in the far corner of the room. Though neither of them had spotted her the speaker was one of their dorm mates – a rather bitchy roommate who had taken an instant dislike to Casey and therefore Rosie by association. Her name was Monique; blonde, large breasted and very attractive. Casey had to admit it was a good thing that she saw so little of Derek, because she was an ideal target for his charms.

"Oh?" Said Rosie

The top-heavy doll unfurled carefully waxed legs from underneath her and tottered over to where the other two girls were sitting.

"Yeah. It requires you to have a life…and a boyfriend."

"Really? And what makes you qualified to say that we don't have either?" Rosie asked. Casey groaned inwardly. Evidently, she wasn't the only one good at picking fights.

The blonde laughed derisively. "Well. If you think you can rustle up a guy in time, the rules are on the leaflets on the coffee table. It's basically an inter-dorm competition run by the union. Each girl's dorm has to put forward up to five couples to compete in a series of challenges. Some of them are physical challenges, some are mental. The couple scoring the most points at the end of the challenges wins."

"Wins what?"

"The girl's dorm gets a cash prize to spend as they see fit. The guy gets a year's free supply of beer. The only real entrance criteria are that the couple have to actually be dating and they must complete the challenges. They test the dating part with a pop quiz at the start." Monique beamed a cold smile. "I'm entering. My boyfriend is in the military reserve. We'll ace the physical challenges."

"Shame about the mental ones." Rosie heard Casey mutter under her breath.

Oblivious, Monique continued her own brand of acid tone. "Of course the real challenge for you two will be finding a guy in the first place." She smiled broadly and swept from the room.

"I was just starting to convince myself that I was being harsh on blondes the other day…I'm not so sure now." Rosie said.

Casey smiled. "I've had a couple of blonde friends who broke the mould. Sally in particular was nice. Mind you she did date Derek which sort of negates the intelligence bit."

Rosie sighed and threw herself down on the sofa. "You know, I wish I could enter the competition and win it, just to flip her the bird."

"You need to rise above it." Casey said, absentmindedly picking up the entry conditions leaflet and looking at it while she munched on her sandwich and sipped her drink. "The challenges look pretty harsh: parachute jump, swimming relay, rock climbing." She snorted. "Although anyone can rock climb. Derek used to do it for a while. The mental challenges look interesting though: science lab, general knowledge quiz, logic puzzles. I'm good at those."

Rosie sat up suddenly. "I've got it!" she exclaimed.

"Got what?"

"You can do it."

"I can do what?" Casey frowned still reading the leaflet.

"The challenge." Rosie announced.

Casey laughed. "In case you hadn't noticed it's called The Boyfriend challenge…and I'm single." The latter comment was a little bitter.

"Yes, yes… But I know where we can get you a boyfriend."

"Oh…where?"

"Derek, of course." Rosie announced

And Casey sprayed her drink across the carpet.


	2. The Boyfriend Challenge

"Are you okay?" Rosie asked as she thumped a choking Casey on the back.

"No." Casey gasped. "I just discovered my closest friend at college is an insane lunatic."

Rosie grinned and sat back on the couch. "Why?"

Casey coughed the last of the liquid from her lungs and gasped "You just suggested that I date Derek."

Rosie shrugged. "What's wrong with that?"

Of course there was one blatantly obvious answer to the question but Casey avoided it and went with her gut-feel.

"Did you not see us in the quad? We hate each other."

"Yes. But despite the fact you have different surnames you also _know_ each other. You aren't actually related and you said yourself Derek knows how to rock climb and you know how to do logic puzzles. Perfect! I assume you can both swim, and, really, how hard is it to jump out of a plane?"

Casey's eyes widened like an owl's. "I hate heights… and I also hate Derek. There's nothing elementary about this." She protested. Then Casey slouched thoughtfully. "Of course the idea of throwing _him_ out of the plane has some merit. Although I might have to forget the chute." A sly smile curved onto her lips and Rosie knew if she didn't reel her in, her roommate was lost.

"Casey. Come on. If you two entered this competition you would stand a significant chance of winning."

"Except it means me _dating_ him. Seriously? And even if you could persuade _me_ to do it, Derek would never go for it."

Rosie folded her arms with a smug expression. "I bet I could persuade him."

"Well why don't you do the challenge with him then?" Casey suggested sitting forward suddenly. "I could help you."

"Because I don't know him and you do and nothing you could teach me would top that."

Casey shook her head and sat back in her seat with her arms firmly folded. "Sorry Rosie. Under _no_ circumstances am I entering this competition with Derek."

Rosie sighed. "Spoilsport."

* * *

It was a Thursday and Casey had been to the library. She had studied till the point where she had a headache but on the plus side there had been a really cute guy who kept looking at her.

Of course, it might have had something to so with the fact that she had bitten her pen and the ink was all over her mouth, but she liked to think there was a more genuine attraction there.

She smiled to herself as she pushed open the fire door on her dorm corridor and made her way to her room. Now that she had broken the back of her "Feminism in Literature" assignment she could spend the evening with a nice vegetable lasagne, rocky road ice cream, and a well-worn "rom-com".

Casey liked college. There was a comfortable degree of independence and sociability in the dorm– and there were no nasty step-brothers to ruin her evening.

"Hi Case!" The voice called as she unlocked the door to her room. Casey looked at the speaker in horror.

"What the _hell_ are you doing in my room?" She gasped, forgetting her no-cuss policy in the heat of the moment.

Derek leaned back on her bed and rested on his elbows. The bed was typically Casey: a mix of purple and pink, satin and velvet, plus a couple of "Nora-special" cushions. By contrast Derek's own bed had a green-toned throw half-hanging over its edge as if its owner had just abandoned the room.

But he also had two "Nora" cushions. (His were made from band t-shirts.)

"Rosie said you wanted to see me and she kindly used your spare key to open your door for me, so I thought I'd wait here." He smirked and then looked over at the second, unmade bed. "Where's your roomie?" Derek asked in genuine curiosity. "I kind of thought you shared with Rosie."

"I don't have a roommate. My allocated one ran off with her boyfriend on day two and the admin team haven't sorted out a new one." Casey sounded distracted. "Derek, get out of my room."

Derek was still processing the injustice.

"You have a spare bed? And no room mate. No Way! Life is not fair."

Casey smiled. "Life is very fair. For example, I have enjoyed a few weeks of pure blissful non-Derek time. I am looking forward to enjoying a whole year of non-Derek time…just as soon as I evict you." The last words were uttered through gritted teeth.

"Casey, Casey, Casey. Is that anyway to talk to your beloved step-brother?"

"Beloved by whom?"

The two step-siblings glared at each other…and then the door opened.

"Ah! You're back. Cool!" Rosie came into the room.

Casey rounded on her.

"You and I need to have words, missy. What the hell was Derek doing alone in my room?" She nodded towards him. "You do realise he has probably cleaned me out of snacks, money and condoms by now."

Derek looked up in shock. "You have _condoms_ in your room?"

"Of course, Derek. I'm a safe sex kinda gal."

Her step-brother had turned a vivid shade of green. The thought of a sexually active Casey was…upsetting. Derek wasn't exactly sure why. To distract himself from some very unpleasant thoughts, he began to adopt the behaviour he was accused of and started exploring her room.

Rosie decided to intervene by changing the subject. "Have you told him yet?"

"Told him what?" Casey answered blankly. She genuinely had no idea what her friend was talking about

"About the competition."

Casey shot her friend an "Are you _mad_?" look and then turned her attention to monitoring Derek's progress around her room.

"What competition?" Derek winced as Casey snatched her diary from his hands.

"You know. The Challenge." Rosie prompted.

Casey frowned. "Why would I want to tell Derek? We agreed that you were insane. _Are_ insane."

Derek sensed Casey's fear and latched on. "Tell me what." He asked with a smirk.

Rosie took a deep breath. "There's this inter-dorm competition. It's for couples. You complete a series of challenges and the winning couple get prizes."

"Still don't get the link with me." Derek said sitting down and leaning back on the spare bed. It was remarkably comfortable for a college bed.

Casey rolled her eyes and sat on her own bed. "Rosie thinks you and I should do it." She explained.

Derek waved the idea away. "We aren't a couple."

"I know. That's what I told her." Casey leaned forward for emphasis and Derek caught a whiff of her perfume – it sparked memories of family dinners, post-dinner squabbles and something else.

"We hate each other." He pointed out, unnerved by the new sensation.

Casey leaned back and answered in a bored voice. "I know Derek."

"I'd rather die than kiss you." If he said it with enough force it might actually become true.

"I know Derek."

"God it makes me sick just thinking about it."

"I know Derek."

Rosie stopped watching the ping-pong rally that was going on between them and interrupted.

"That's a shame, because I've already signed you both up for it. The Pop Quiz is on Monday so you both need to prepare. Oh and by the way, Derek, you might be interested to know, the winning guy gets a year's free supply of beer."

"YOU DID WHAT!" Casey screamed.

"FREE BEER FOR A YEAR?" Derek simultaneously shouted.

Rosie looked unabashed. "Okay you two. Listen in. You go to the bar, you get a free drink, and you answer a few measly questions on each other (and maybe hold hands). Then you get selected for the competition. The competition is a series of fun challenges that under normal circumstances you would be required to spend a lot of money to do, and hopefully at the end of it all, you win. If you do, our dorm gets a stack load of money, we get huge kudos with our dorm-mates and Derek gets free beer for a year. What's the down side to that?"

"I totally lose my rep." Derek said. "Because every one sees me date a keener. Never mind what they'll think if they ever find out that she's my sister."

"STEP-sister, moron." Casey was considering buying a t-shirt which said that…maybe without the "moron" bit.

"Same difference." Her step-brother insisted.

Casey leaned back on her bed. "Well it's not exactly ideal for me either. I mean I have a rep too."

Derek sat up. "Yeah. One you should be shifting. I'd be doing you a favour."

Rosie clapped her hands. "So you'll do it?"

"Duh…No." Derek answered even as he stood up. "Right I'm off…thanks for the food and the money, princess. I'll get the condoms next time." He smirked and then disappeared out of the door.

Casey smiled in relief. "I guess your little plan backfired, Rose."

Her friend shook her head. "I haven't finished yet. I'll talk him round." She was looking thoughtfully at the door.

* * *

As Derek walked away from Casey's dorm, the smirk had gone and he was frowning. He'd learnt a few things in that short conversation and he wasn't sure he was happy about any of them; things like Miss Goody Two-Shoes could keep secrets from the college authorities, (and apparently from him). Plus, she wasn't planning on waiting until her wedding night to have sex – evidenced by the fact she had condoms- in fact she might even have already have vaulted that hurdle. (That one was a shocker.) But the biggest shock of all was that she had managed to carve a life for herself at college without his help and was totally planning on living it without him too.

Derek had known Casey for a long time and he considered it his role in life to interfere in her life as much as possible. There was no way he was going to let her leave him out of it. He realised it had been three weeks since he had last seen her, and therefore three weeks since his last prank.

He really only had himself to blame.

Which got him thinking…

Pranks.

Casey pranks.

Hmmm…This called for a particularly good one. And of course they were older now-adults - and the prank wasn't going to get discovered by their parents.

Which all meant that he could push the boundaries slightly. He started to plan.

* * *

The next time he went to her dorm, he was prepared and it wasn't Rosie who let him in. It was a small girl called Annie. She didn't look particularly bright and, strangely, didn't seem interested in him.

"Is Casey here?"

"Not sure, you'll have to check her room."

"Mind if I go up?"

"Who are you?"

"Boyfriend. She's expecting me. We just weren't sure who'd get here first."

The girl sighed and jerked her head towards the stairs. "Go on then."

_Honestly, the security here sucks. I'll have to have a word with George about that._

Derek let himself into her room, there was rarely a lock that could hold him. He was pleased to see that she Casey absent. A quick check of her timetable, pinned neatly to the notice-board revealeded she was in an English Lit class and would be for another hour.

_Great. Plenty of time._

He opened the drawer beside her bed and was amused to see that she was as predictable as he had anticipated. He removed the box of condoms from exactly where he thought she would keep them – hidden right at the back of the drawer tucked away under a copy of the bible. Casey wasn't particularly religious but she had very strong morals.

Derek's eyebrows shot into the stratosphere when he examined the pack, however. It was a twelve pack of _flavoured_ condoms and when he opened it, there were only eleven inside. He pushed the (horrific) thought of what that meant to one side as he opened his rucksack and began to prepare the prank.

* * *

Later as he emerged from his step-sister's room he almost bumped into Annie. Not that Annie noticed. She was too busy enthusiastically kissing the (attractive) captain of the women's hockey team.

Derek's eyes widened in amusement. Surprises all round.


	3. A New Type of Prank

**Chapter 3: A New Type of Prank**

Casey McDonald was a favourite student among the cleaners of Queens. She kept her room immaculate, bothered to find out their names and greeted them like best friends once a week when they completed what they liked to refer to as their "community service". To other intelligent people this meant the weekly chore of herding student debris into unvacuum-able corners, discovering new sources of penicillin and removing vomit from every surface imaginable.

Except in Casey's room.

They drew lots to see who had the pleasure of "cleaning up" after her because it was one of the cushiest jobs going. Casey was, after all, one of those rare people who saw it as therapeutic to scrub a floor in preparation for events such as a dance competition.

They were all agreed. Casey McDonald was the nicest student they had ever known.

Which was why, on opening the door to Miss McDonald's room today, the current winner of the Casey cleaning lotto nearly had a coronary.

* * *

"Do you think that guy in the quad was checking me out?" Rosie asked as she walked beside Casey into the dorm building.

"It looked more like he had a squint actually."

Rosie sighed. "Why are there so many guys with visual impairments at this college?"

"You should go for Toby. He's nice."

"And too safe it would take him a lifetime to work his way to holding your hand… Do you think Derek has any friends?"  
"Derek will have a lot of friends. Whether it is a good idea that you date them is an entirely different matter."

"Didn't you date his _best_ friend once?" Casey had filled Rosie in on four years of torture since Derek's earlier visit to Casey's room. She had hoped to win her friend over to the "hate Derek" camp. Unfortunately, Rosie just appeared more interested than ever.

Casey shrugged. "Sam is different. If Sam was here I would introduce you without question. Sam is a saint for putting up with Derek all this time." She looked thoughtful, "Either that or Derek has something on him…"

Rosie grinned. "Maybe Sam is scheduled for a visit some time." She suggested hopefully.

"I could ask him. I have his email somewhere."

Rosie's smile broadened. "Would you? That would be great!"

There was a moment's pause while they let the old conversation die away. Rosie's attention wandered to their surroundings. Then she frowned.

"Wasn't that Laura? The cleaner you talk to?" she suddenly exclaimed as middle-aged lady with tight red curls brushed past them. The expression on her face had been one of extreme disapproval.

"Yes. How strange!"

"Why did she throw you an evil? You get on with all the cleaners."

"I know. Weird." Casey was frowning.

"Did you forget to put out your trash?

"No. I had a pop-quiz this afternoon so I Cif-ed my sink last night as well."

They walked the short distance down the corridor to Casey's room and she paused to unlock her door. She motioned for Rosie to go first. Her friend pushed open the door and walked inside. Everything _looked_ okay.

And then she looked at Casey's _new poster_ on the wall.

It had been the first thing that Casey noticed.

"DER-EK!"

On a section of wall where there had previously been a large Swan Lake poster, there was now a very large picture – of Casey.

But it was not any kind of Casey that Nora would have recognised.

The pose was acrobatic, seductive but also rather inelegant and it looked totally impossible to achieve were it not for the large silver pole around which "Casey's" right leg was hooked; her left leg sloped away behind her and her back and arms arched in the same direction. "Casey's" body was adorned in scraps of red and black silk, but not very much of it, and little, if anything, was left to the imagination. Her make-up was dramatic: full red lips, dark smoky eyes that Rosie was sure she would never see Casey wear in real life.

Derek had created a poster advertising Casey's prowess as a stripper, including a price list of available services. Scattered on the night-stand was a pile of business cards offering more explicit services and several packets of condoms.

Rosie approached the poster for a closer look.

"Oh. It's photo-shopped!" She exclaimed. Casey threw her an evil glare.

"Of course it's freaking photo-shopped! What kind of girl do you think I am?!"

Rosie chuckled. "Well I know what kind of girl the cleaning staff think you are!" She quipped.

Casey stormed over to her night-stand and picked up one of the condoms. Its packaging stated. "Ribbed – For her pleasure."

Casey hissed a nasty word and dropped it again as though it was red hot. She reached for the poster as if to rip it down.

"DON'T!" Rosie shouted. "One second."

Casey's friend disappeared into her own room and returned with a camera. She took a few pictures of the poster and when she saw Casey's raised eyebrows said simply. "Blackmail. You never know when you might need to remind Derek of his lack of restraint."

"That's the most sensible thing you've said all week." Casey told her, taking out her cell phone and scrolling down to JERK MOB.

To her surprise as soon as she pressed the call button, a ringing began in the corridor outside.

"You didn't seriously expect me to miss this…did you?" Derek asked from the doorway.

Casey dropped her bag and phone on her bed and ran at him. Caught on the back foot, Derek took one look at the fury in her eyes and spun around, tripping over his own feet in the process. He hurriedly untangled himself and co-ordinated at last sprinted down the dorm corridor to the main living area - which was packed full of Casey's roommates.

"Hey Ladies!" He shouted as he entered the room with a crash of fire doors, he was closely followed by Casey, her canvas shoes making a small squeak as she ran.

"You despicable little cretin, Venturi!" She flamed, her hair streaming behind her as the door crashed closed in her wake. Derek laughed as he vaulted one of the sofas, only just avoiding its occupants.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to watch the bizarre scene in front of them. Casey followed Derek over the sofa, slightly less successfully as her foot planted in a visiting student's lap. The girl opened her mouth to object but her words were drowned out by the screaming Casey-banshee, arms flaying as she chased Derek around the living room. They circuited a few times: she threw cushions, he ducked; she grabbed at his jacket, he slipped it off.

The chase continued at pace – and volume.

Now in his shirtsleeves, Derek flew around the door into the kitchen area and since it was a room with only one door abruptly realised he was cornered. Glancing about for something to distract her, he picked up a pan of soapy water soaking in the sink and threw the mucky contents at her. The water hit Casey full in the face and chest, turning her t-shirt transparent and plastering her hair to her face. Derek let the pan fall to the floor with a clatter.

He would have stayed to laugh but he knew she was good at quick recoveries so dashed past her into the living room again and through to the corridor outside.

As Derek charged down the hall and past Casey's room, Rosie emerged. Friendship won out over humour so the mousy-haired girl stuck out her foot, tripping him up. Rosie quickly shoved him hard so that he ended up inside Casey's room and then she slammed the door shut on him.

Casey arrived beside her friend, panting. "Thanks Rosie."

The other girl beamed. "You're welcome. Go get him."

She opened the door and Casey entered the room.


	4. Condiments and Other Custody Battles

Casey shut her bedroom door behind her, turned and locked it. Then she once again faced the room. Derek was sprawled on her bed, smirking. She could tell he was waiting for the fireworks. Well he would wait a long time!

Casey moved across to sit on the end of the bed. Silently she tugged at her clothing pulling the wet fabric away from her skin briefly. She was shaking her head, a sombre look on her face.

An extended silence fell between them. Derek didn't do silence.

"Isn't this the part where you normally start hitting me?" He asked amused.

Casey shrugged. "I don't know if you are worth the effort." Her face was completely serious.

Derek looked taken aback. "Oh come on. It took me ages to set up this prank. The least you can do is react. I haven't pranked you in a while. You've had plenty of time to recharge your retaliation batteries."

"…and plenty of time to get rusty. Maybe I've forgotten how to retaliate – to your...minor irritations."

Derek looked at her in horror. Casey nodded.

"It's true D. I just don't know that I want to fight with you anymore."

"Who is he?" Derek sat up, suddenly.

Casey blinked. "What?"

Derek leaned forward. "What's his name?"

"Who?" Casey looked blankly at him.

"The guy you've started fighting with instead of me."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Casey. We've fought everyday for four years and now I leave you alone for a few days and you decide you don't want to fight with me anymore. I want to know who you are being unfaithful to our pranking relationship with!"

His step-sister frowned. "It wasn't a few days, it was three weeks."

Derek waved her comment away. "Who's counting?"

"Three weeks, Derek. Long enough for me to forget I even have a pain-in-the-ass step-brother."

"Three weeks is all it took to forget me?" He looked shocked.

"No actually, I forgot you after three days. The remainder of the time was me getting on with living my life."  
"You don't mean that." He said.

She nodded sadly. "I do mean it." She held out her hand for him to shake. "Your pranks just don't do it for me anymore. Let's be grown up about this and just part as frenemies…okay?"

"What?" He stared at her. "You can't do this to me."

"I just did, Derek." Casey made to get off the bed. "I'll email Mom and George and tell them we're no longer pranking each other. Perhaps George will be good enough to draw up a decree nisi because I'll fight you all the way for custody of the squeezy honey, mayo and sauce bottles."

"Right! That does it! You can leave me and run off with your fancy prank man, but you'll never take my condiments!"

Casey raised an eyebrow, the façade cracked and she began to giggle.

Relieved, Derek grinned back. Then, before she could spot the warning signs he pushed her onto her back. Derek grabbed both her hands in one of his own and used his free hand to tickle her; four years of experience meaning he knew exactly where she was most sensitive. It would be some time before she calmed down.

"Your face was a picture at the start." She said, lying back and panting hard when he finally stopped tickling her and let her go. "You totally thought I was serious."

"Yeah I was planning the party and everything."

"Yeah right, Derek. The thought that I didn't want to fight with you anymore scared you."

He shrugged.

"There are plenty of other keeners to prank out there."

"Go to it." She challenged.

Derek flopped down on the bed beside her. "Nah. Too much effort finding new talent, when I've got a ready-made victim here."

Casey rolled on to her side. "Admit. You missed me."

Their eyes met.

"Well I admit having someone to copy the journalism assignment from would have been useful last week." He looked at her wet t-shirt. "You know I have erotic dreams like this; girl in a wet transparent top locking me in her room. Of course, it's all negated by the fact the real girl is my keener step-sister."

_Actually, the reality beats the dream hands down. The" wet T-shirt look" suits Casey, especially as I'm not entirely sure she's wearing a bra._

"You realise you've ruined my reputation."

"Relax. Only you and Rosie saw the poster."

"No, Derek. Your disgusting prank was actually seen by the college cleaner as well who is probably going back to her boss right now and telling her that I'm a good-time-girl."

"Are you?" he asked laughing at the old-fashioned phrase.

"What?"

"Well, you know what they say about a girl who keeps bumper packs of flavoured condoms in her bedside drawers…"

"No…what?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Get her phone number."

"_Der-ek!_"

He left shortly after that and both of them were a bit relieved. Casey didn't particularly like lying on a bed with Derek while her t-shirt was wet and clinging to her breasts like shrink-wrap, and Derek liked it too much for his own comfort.

As soon as she unlocked her bedroom door to let him out, Derek found there was a crowd waiting in the corridor to see if he made it out alive. The devil overtook his mind and he reached behind her to slap her backside saying loudly "Same time next week, and then it's my turn on top." Casey rolled her eyes and he smirked broadly at the collection of girls as he made his way down the corridor.

He didn't even bother to flirt.


	5. Woody Woodpecker Pays a Visit

"What's this I hear about you and the girls' dorm, Venturi?" Derek's roommate slapped him hard on the back. The guy concerned was a quarterback and Derek could already feel the resulting handprint burning on his skin. He ignored it and responded to the query.

"Whatever you heard, it's all true." Derek smirked leaning back on his bed, his hands resting behind his head.

Matt adjusted his towel and scratched at an armpit. "It was something about flavoured condoms and chasing some girl round the place. Did you catch her?"

Derek's face adopted a "Pur-lease!" expression.

"Is there any doubt in your mind?"

Matt sniffed and then grinned at Derek's arrogance.

"Who was it? The girl, I mean."

Exactly the question Derek did _not_ want to answer. "You wouldn't know her."

Matt grinned, sensing some reluctance. "Try me." He suggested sitting down at his desk. Derek was a confident guy. It was unusual to see him off-balance.

"Casey McDonald." Derek muttered and braced himself for the "EW! Keener much!" comment, but instead Matt laughed. Despite Derek's best efforts, Casey's on-campus reputation wasn't _that_ bad.

"Nice ass! Have you finished with her? Only she sounds a lot more interesting than I had given her credit for." Matt wore a hopeful expression as Derek picked at a spot on his t-shirt.

Over his dead body. George and Nora would never forgive him if he let Matt within six foot of Casey. Of course, Derek couldn't tell Matt that! Instead it was about maintaining a fiction…

"Nah. I might go around the block with her a couple more times."

Matt held no grudges. "Don't blame you. By all accounts, you created quite a scene. Do I get the gory details?"

Rumour is always more interesting than reality. Derek was evasive.

"Hey! One of the reasons the chicks like me is I keep my mouth shut."

Matt stood up and resumed getting dressed.

"Maybe when you dump her then?" he suggested into the mirror.

"Maybe." _No freaking way!_

Matt moved on to the purpose of his conversation. "Anyway, I'm glad you're…um…scoring because I need a favour."

Derek was immediately suspicious. "Oh?"

"The delightful Helena is coming to town for a week and I need you to make yourself scarce."

This was an agreed part of their friendship. Right from the start both had realised there would be times when they needed a little…privacy of the kind a roommate would be incompatible with. A night here or there spent on someone else's sofa whilst their friend got…

"For a week?!" Derek looked scandalised. "Come on dude, one night I can manage but a whole week?"

"I know, I know. It's a long period of time but she has a reading week and…well it's up to you, I mean it won't affect my performance, but Helena _is_ a bit of a screecher and you probably won't want to be in the same room, if you see what I mean. Especially not after _last_ time."

Derek did see. And he didn't want…at all.

Great. Where the hell was he going to hole up for a whole week? It wasn't as though he really had a girlfriend who he could crash with. Since he and Emily agreed to part company at the beginning of the Summer break before college, he had been rather low key on the dating front, just that minor fling with Roxie who got bored with him as quickly as he tired of her. Once at college he had managed a few fumbles in the back of the movie theatre and a more intense session in a quiet corner of one of the bars, but nothing serious and certainly nothing that would lead to a girl inviting him to stay the night. Most of the girls he knew were in dorm accommodation anyway and therefore shared their rooms.

A thought came to him.

Except Casey.

Casey "no roomie" McDonald.

Derek smirked.

The bonus was sharing with Derek would get _right_ up her nose. There would be no chance of her leaving him out of her life then.

Genius!

* * *

Casey McDonald was a firm believer in the old adage that everything bad comes in threes: late buses, natural disasters, Derek Venturi. (Although, you could probably rope him in with natural disasters). So after the second visit to her dorm room and the whole poster debacle she considered herself forewarned.

Forewarned is forearmed as they say. So she asked people not to let Derek into the building, hid everything of any value (sentimental or otherwise) and tried to minimise the time she spent away from her room.

Unfortunately, the 'Derek is banned' missive managed to bypass some of her dorm-mates – or maybe it was that they were all rather hoping for another sideshow – because she came home from a dance class the next day, to find that Derek had again been in her room.

In fact, it appeared he had not so much "been in" her room as _moved into_ her room!

From Derek's point of view, maybe there wasn't any need to move _all _his stuff from his own dorm room into hers, but he did it anyway, knowing it would make her reaction more enjoyable. There was also a degree of self-preservation involved. She was less likely to throw him out if she could see it would take a couple of hours to do it.

Staying with his step-sister had seemed like the most obvious solution in the world – to Derek. Casey would have a different view; would require careful handling, and for her to accept it, there would need to be some compassion…but this was Derek we are talking about.

"Hey! Look everyone, the wife's home!" He greeted her from one of the communal sofas where he was regaling everyone with stories about Casey. Derek had never been accused of being "subtle".

Casey's jaw dropped as all her nightmares converged. (Well except the one about Truman and a tutu.)

"What are you doing here?" She asked suspiciously. Derek grinned.

"Well, gorgeous. As of this afternoon, I _live here_! With you." His eyes sparkled with amusement at Casey's expense. He had decided on a confident approach, determination – and a close proximity to the fire exit.

Casey stepped careful towards Derek and grabbed him by the collar.

"A word, Derek. NOW!"

Since he was still alive, the situation was promising. Derek smiled at the girls around him and shrugged. "What can I say? You give her a bit of intimate Derek time and she wants you round the clock. Catch _you_ girls later." He fully intended to!

Casey yanked his collar and rather than suffer a gruesome death by strangulation, Derek got up and followed her to her room. _Correction: As of this afternoon - their room._

"What are you up to this time, lame brain?" Casey wasn't up for messing about.

Derek shrugged nonchalantly, but he stayed close to the door.

"Well…you see, Matt has Helena staying…" He started truthfully.

"…Helena?" Casey interrupted.

Derek nodded. "Yeah. Helena; legs up to here [motions to chin], breasts out to here [sticks hand out two foot], and a face that would grace the covers of Vogue."

Casey was suspicious. "Unlike you to duck out when a pretty girl comes to call. Derek."

Derek pulled a face. "She also has a voice and laugh like Woody Woodpecker. It's particularly bad in the bedroom." He did a quick imitation, which if she had been in a better mood, Casey would have found very amusing. He had to be satisfied with the slight curve of her lips.

"How do you know?" She asked curiously, and with an element of suspicion.

"Last time she came to stay, they got drunk and forgot I was in the room. I woke up to the sound of Woody having an orgasm. " Derek shook his head and winced. "My childhood memories are _ruined_."

Casey narrowed her eyes at him to see if he was joking.

"I wish I _was_ joking with you Case." He said guessing her thoughts.

"Believe me, that sound is etched in my mind forever." He shuddered.

Casey dumped her school bag and flopped onto her bed. "So what does Matt see in her?"

Derek opted for the spare bed all the while looking at her as though she was a child and started to open his mouth.

"Don't bother answering that." Casey answered her own question as she anticipated his response. Derek grinned.

"Anyway, then I remembered that my _beloved_ sister has a spare bed, so I thought, why don't I crash with her…for the week." It was the most logical suggestion in the world. If only global peace was this easy to solve.

"WEEK!" Casey screeched.

"Yeah. Week." Derek was on a back foot and inching towards the door.

"No Derek. Go find a blonde who isn't fussy." That wasn't as easy as it sounded.

"Why when I already have a brunette who fusses for Canada at Olympic level."

Casey glared at Derek. He looked hurt. Then he brightened up. "I considered finding a nice comfortable _accommodating_ girlfriend. I honestly, did. But I road tested your spare bed yesterday and I'm fairly sure it's one of those rare things on a college campus – a new mattress; which is not to be sniffed at. And you and I haven't had enough alone time recently. I've neglected you and I want to make amends." He looked artful. "Then of course, I got the blackmail email." His voice adopted a leading tone. Casey narrowed her eyes.

"What blackmail email?" She probed.

Derek handed her a piece of paper.

"_Derek."_ It read.

"_I've put you and Casey down for the Boyfriend Challenge because I need you to win. My popularity is at stake._

_You ARE going to do it. If you don't, I'll send a picture of your little poster prank to George – your father._

_I hope you understand._

_Love Rosie."_

Casey's eyes had widened and her face had turned a shade of purple more associated with blackcurrant.

"I'll KILL her!"

Derek, on the other hand, looked amused. As well he would. This was probably the first time since he'd met her that Casey's anger was directed at someone other than him – excluding the whole Truman fiasco. He pulled his mouth down into a sulk.

"Aw. You don't want to go out with me…." He moaned.

Casey looked suspiciously at him.

"How come _you_ aren't seething over this?"

Derek leaned back on the bed. He looked very relaxed; very at home.

"Well I was initially. I mean it wasn't exactly a boost to my rep. Then I realised that half the campus _already_ thinks I'm dating you thanks to yesterday's prank– and they actually seem to think it's a good idea. My rep hasn't suffered at all1 Weird though that is, it at least it gives me a reason to want to room with you without telling anyone that we are siblings."

Casey sighed. She wasn't going to win this…but she did have a point to make.

"That's twice, Derek. Will you cut it out?"

"Twice what? Cut what out?"

"'Sister', 'sibling'. I'm neither of those things."

"Why does that unnerve you so much?" He asked softly, biting back a laugh as she coloured up. "Is it because we are contemplating _incest_?"

Now she was properly angry.

"It's not _incest_ you jerk!"

"And you'd know this because you've bothered to look it up." He smirked.

Casey looked flustered – and defensive.

"Lizzie dared me, when Mom decided to marry George. Why didn't _you_ look it up?"

Derek remained calm.

"I did Casey." He said, making himself comfortable on his bed and switching on his TV. "And your reaction was priceless."

Oh yes. Being Casey's "boyfriend" for a while was going to be very interesting.


	6. Aceing Casey 101

"Are you planning on staying there?" Casey asked the spare bed because she was determined not to look at Derek. Just lately his smirk had developed the ability to turn her to stone in fear, rather like the Gorgon. Maybe that explained the hair-style too…

"Yup. Wanna join me for some quality make out time?" Derek was enjoying himself. Making Casey feel uncomfortable was always high on his entertainment scale. College life was providing a whole new level of annoyance factor.

"Ew! Der-ek!"

He laughed though it wasn't entirely genuine. Could he ever be entirely comfortable with the idea of "Derek and Casey"? Obviously she was attractive…alright then, _hot_. But they were related…weren't they?! Of course not in the strict sense of the word…but there were rules about this type of thing. He had a sudden flashback to the family living room and a conversation with Casey. _"I am the exception to EVERY rule." _

The grin froze on his face.

Casey didn't notice.

"I'm not dating you." She said and folded her arms across her chest. The movement broke Derek's stare since it hid the object of his visual attention– it also broke his concentration. In a bizarre way, he was grateful.

"No. I can understand that." He conceded. "Of course Rosie has other ideas. Matt has other ideas. The rest of your dorm has other ideas. In fact, I think the whole of the campus has other ideas." There was a subtle bitterness to his voice. Casey only heard triumph. She threw her pillow at him, and he caught it smartly. Derek pulled himself together.

"You and I both know we aren't dating. But the strange thing is everyone else thinks we are." Derek pointed out.

His step-sister narrowed her eyes. "So why aren't you jumping out the windows with a weight tied to your ankles?"

Derek chuckled hollowly. She didn't know how close to the truth she was.

"Because watching you freak out is always more fun than freaking out myself." A little bit of honesty goes a very long way.

At that point Rosie sprang into the room, her laptop grasped in her hand the way some girls grasp their clutch bag. She slammed the door shut and locked it. Grace was not Rosie's middle name.

"Right." She announced. "Let's get practising."

Casey and Derek stared at her.

"What?" Rosie looked surprised.

"We're not talking to you." Casey informed her.

"Oh?"

"Blackmail is not nice, Rosie." Casey stated.

An amused Derek commented.

"It's never stopped _you_ in the past!"

Even as Rosie laughed. "But it's so much fun."

Casey swung around and glared at Derek. "Why does everything have to be _fun_ all of a sudden?!" She demanded. Derek shrugged, but he still glared at Rosie when she laughed again. Casey's friend was not yet forgiven.

"Come on you guys." Rosie prompted. "This is a chance to get one over on Monique."

"Who's Monique?" Derek asked. No matter how annoyed he was the Venturi instinct for a pretty face kicked in. "Monique" sounded exotic.

"Blonde airhead who's completely your type…don't worry I'm sure you'll get a chance. Everyone else has." Casey said bitchily."

"Chance to what?"

Derek knew. He just liked provoking "Prude" Casey. He didn't see it too often these days and it was his only reassurance that the flavoured items he had discovered in Casey's night-stand would never get used.

"Wield the Venturi charm."

"What's the "Venturi charm"?" Rosie asked, pulling up the chair by the desk.

Casey waved the query away. "Derek has this innate ability to charm the pants off any woman within five seconds of being introduced to them."

He smirked. "What can I say? It's natural magnetism."

"No. It's sick." She turned to Derek. "And I didn't mean that in a good way."

"Evidently it didn't work on me." Rosie stated her eyebrow raised turning the statement into a question.

Derek frowned. "Yeah well, you got nobbled." He complained.

"'Nobbled'?"

Casey translated. "It's a racing term for when someone interferes with the horses to stop them from winning the race. He meant someone did something to you to prevent Derek from winning you over."

Derek nodded. "I was never going to win you over because Casey got to you first. She made you immune to my charms."

"Who "nobbled" Casey?" Rosie asked suddenly.

"Pardon?" Casey gulped.

"Clearly, Casey is immune to your charms. Who talked her out of finding you attractive? Why didn't your charm work on Casey?"

Derek smirked. "Oh but it did." He moved over to sit next to Casey.

"After all, we are dating." Derek slapped his hand down on Casey's knee and his step-sister turned to him.

"No we aren't."

"Yes we are." He slid his arm around her shoulders and made as if to nuzzle her neck.

"Derek." Casey whined in an ominous tone.

"Yes, my love."

"Get your arm _off_ me!"

Derek winced as she batted his arm away.

Rosie sighed and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I don't believe this, at this rate you aren't even going to get the free drink tomorrow night. Look can't you just behave long enough to take the quiz and see if you get in? I mean, who doesn't want to have a go at rock climbing or jumping out of a plane?"

Derek hadn't heard about that bit. "Really?! Wow."

"Yeah."

"I hate heights." Casey said quietly.

"Maybe it isn't me she dislikes at all." Derek mused. "Maybe she secretly has the hots for me and is just too scared to jump from that height."

"Like I said to Rosie. I am quite prepared to go up in the plane, provided I can be the person to push you out."

Derek chuckled and put his arm back around her.

"Come on Casey. Let's do the quiz on Monday night. We can show them how lame their stupid competition is. After all…it's a test…you are contractually obliged as a keener to take each and every test. And with my help – you'll ace it."

"I don't need your help."

"Yes actually, you do. I answer questions too remember?"

"Questions on me?"

"Yup."

"You'll get them all wrong."

"Care to put a wager on that?"

"Okay…" Casey was cautious. "What's the prize?"

"You mean apart from me?" Derek noted her unhealthy expression and answered the question properly.

"Okay honey muffin. If I get all the questions about you right, I get to stay in your spare bed for as long as I want."

Casey considered this for a moment.

"_**When**_ you get one wrong you're out on the street…_baby_."

Derek smirked.

* * *

The bar was packed when they arrived on Monday night. Rosie had gone through their wardrobes and come up with denim and t-shirt outfits that whilst not _exactly_ identical were close enough to look as though they had dressed to match. Casey hated it. Derek did too.

"Do me a favour." Rosie hissed. "Hold hands and look as though you enjoy being in each other's company."

Casey pulled a face and Derek smirked, but his fingers found hers and laced their hands together.

"When this farce is over, I'm going to kill her." Casey murmured. Derek caught her eye and grinned.

"I'll hold her down for you." He whispered back. She smiled a genuine smile and he squeezed her hand, without thinking.

The MC was a jock who was surrounded by a group of giggling girls, none of whom looked as though they were part of the research team who set the questions. His involvement must also have been limited and Casey decided the only reason why the MC would know the answers would be because the cards in front of them provided the questions and their solutions. He probably even had his own card to tell him his name!

He had been given a hammer in place of a gavel, which he used to deafening effect.

"So people. Welcome to the annual Boyfriend Challenge. This year we have a record number of entries – Thirty couples! But, sadly there are only places for ten couples to start the competition…[_mock sad face_]… so tonight we are going to whittle the numbers down using the infamous quiz. For those of you who haven't seen this before, here's how it works. We have two rooms set aside for our couples to sit the test in: Guys in one room, girls in the other. We give them a paper…[_holds paper up_] …on which are forty questions. The first twenty questions are about themselves. The second twenty are about their partner. They have forty minutes to answer the forty questions. During which time, the rest of us play a few records, drink a few beers and get to know each other. [_wink at surrounding eye _candy]. Then we collect their answers, pair the papers up and mark them. The ten couples with the highest scores win through to the competition."

"Not a chance in hell." Casey hissed at Derek. "We're completely incompatible.

Derek shrugged. "Maybe I know you better than you think."

"Shhh!" Rosie was listening intently to the announcer.

…and then Derek was being taken in one direction and Casey in another.

* * *

Derek glanced around the room at the twenty-nine other guys who were sitting the test, but there was no one he knew. Despite his own private belief that only the criminally stupid and/or in love would actually take part in the contest (or those being blackmailed!) the room seemed to be full of a variety of men: some obviously Freshmen like him, others a year or so above. He was particularly surprised the older guys were even interested in what was obviously a Freshman competition. The solution came to him seconds later - of course, there was always the other half of the couple, the girl; the power of a nagging girlfriend. Ironic that it was the other way around for him and Casey, with Derek the more enthusiastic participant of the two.

Despite all the implications, he couldn't help smiling to himself as he linked the words 'Casey' and 'girlfriend' together.

He took a seat at a table and waited for them to give him the pen and question paper.

Across the hall, Casey did much the same thing. She even smiled at the thought of Derek as her 'boyfriend'. It was funny, because if there was any irritation at all over the whole saga, it wasn't Derek she would aim it at.

For once in their crazy relationship.

The girls in the room looked naïve more than anything. Some of them were a bit dizzy, some of them a bit dewy-eyed. Casey chuckled a little at the idea of being dewy-eyed over Derek.

Unlike in Derek's room there was one girl who Casey vaguely recognised from one of her English classes. It was a bit of a surprise to see her, as she had always seemed a sensible girl and hardly the sort of girl who would enter ridiculous competitions like this.

Casey sighed and wondered whether the girl had an irritating step-brother as well.

Forty minutes later and it was all over. Derek was in a good mood. It was the easiest exam he had ever taken.

Rosie took pity on them both and went for drinks while they were waiting for the results.

"So…how was it?" Casey asked her "partner". Derek was sitting beside her and, for the sake of appearances, he was holding her hand on his lap.

"Well, I knew all the answers. Whether you were honest on your paper or not is another matter."

"I don't lie, Derek." He knew that, but there was lying and there was being selective with the truth.

"Okay… most embarrassing moment?" He quizzed her.

"Klutzilla."

"Yes!" He punched the air with his spare hand – and enthusiasm. "Number of people you've had sex with?" He went on.

Casey coloured. "I'm not answering that."

Hiding his amusement with difficulty, Derek pushed for an answer. "Did you answer it on the paper?"

"Yes." Casey was reluctant.

"Then answer it now." Derek's eyes burned into the side of her head.

She looked at him. "No."

"Please?" Casey looked surprised at his politeness.

She sighed. "Okay...None." She admitted.

"YES!" Derek grinned. He wondered if she realised there was a degree of relief at her answer – and not just because he had got it right. He frowned. "One question, Case. Where's the twelfth condom?"

She frowned. "Twelfth condom?"

"Yeah. In your drawer there were only eleven in the box."

Casey rolled her eyes and pulled out her wallet. Inside was a foil packet.

Derek shook his head smiling. "Wow! Casey. Living dangerously."

She looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means, only carrying one in your wallet. You think it would only happen once?"

Her eyes widened.

He leant closer. "You'd better started carrying three, hun. You're dating me now."

"Der-ek!"

He chuckled as she coloured again. To distract him, Casey demanded her own answers. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How many partners?" She asked. Derek swallowed. He didn't exactly mind her knowing the truth, he just didn't want anyone else to know.

"You really want to know?"

Casey leaned forward. "Yes."

Derek met her eyes. "One."

She didn't blink. "Liar."

He shook his head. "_One_, Casey."

And she knew he was serious.

Casey looked away. "I could have sworn you slept with Sally." She said softly.

His turn to look confused. "I did. She was the _one_. Why? Who did you think?"

"Emily."

Derek really was confused now. "Why did you think that? We didn't date very long."

Casey shrugged. "She told me you did."

"WHAT?!" Derek looked aghast.

"Didn't you?"

"NO! I didn't." he turned his head and muttered. "She and I need to have words. I just…sheesh!"

Casey shook her head. "Leave it D."

Derek let go of Casey's hand and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "She can't lie about stuff like that and get away with it."

"I don't know why she lied, but she was cut up about your break up when she told me. Maybe that had something to do with it."

He looked annoyed. "'You trying to put this on me now?"

Casey was almost apologetic. "No. No. I'm just saying don't cause a scene over it."

"I'm telling you the truth Casey." He said earnestly and wondered why it was suddenly important that she knew that.

Casey smiled. "I know, idiot." She told him as Rosie returned with the drinks.

"Okay peeps. [the announcer was getting irritating, Derek decided.] We have the results in. When I call your name you are through to the first round."

The MC started to reel off the names of the couples and the 'winning' pairs collected in a group at the front of the bar. The girls all looked eager. The guys looked bored. Casey saw the girl from English amongst them. She didn't look pleased.

So there were now seven couples at the front.

"Monique Fraser and Benjamin Connor!"

Monique stood up from her place close to Casey, and as she passed her dorm mate she bent down and whispered. "However much you paid him to 'date' you, he obviously flunked the test." Her voice was vitriolic.

"Who was that?" Derek asked with interest.

"Monique." Casey said without enthusiasm.

Derek watched Monique's backside disappear. It was an attractive sight because her skirt was very short. Casey saw the direction of his eyes.

"Put them back in their sockets, Venturi." She said in a resigned voice.

He wrenched his eyes away and regarded his 'girlfriend' carefully.

"Sorry" he said. "I was just marvelling at her cellulite."

Casey spluttered into her drink and then, recovering, threw him a grin.

"Okay. Before I announce our final couple, I would just like to say that, in the entire time that we have been running this competition, we have never had a couple score as highly as this last couple. They scored…wait for it, 39 out of 40! And believe me when I tell you, that some of the answers on their papers were hilarious! Anyway, without further ado, the final couple through are Casey McDonald and Derek Venturi!"

Casey's jaw dropped, Derek smirked and Rosie squealed. Monique gasped. She was not impressed.

Derek stood up and dragged Casey to her feet. He pulled her to join the other couples and paused briefly by the MC.

"Just out of interest, who got the question wrong?"

The announcer grinned. "She did. You might want to consider telling her the truth about your sexual partners."

Derek laughed even as Monique pushed her way forward.

"It's a fix!"

The MC looked taken aback. "What?"

"I don't believe they are really dating. He's been coached."

The MC blinked and stared at Derek.

"You do know her very well."

Rosie stepped up to join them. "They went to school together. He's known her for four years. Besides I thought knowing your partner was the whole point?"

Monique pulled an ugly face. "Well I don't believe they are dating. God! I mean. She's such a _prude_! They have to be lying!"

Casey looked indignant.

"I don't lie."

"Really? Prove you are dating him." Monique challenged.

Derek stepped forward. "Oh. And how do you propose we do that?"

Derek's own roommate Matt piped up from the back of the room.

"Screw her!"

Casey rolled her eyes at the comment. Derek grinned.

"Love to. Unfortunately I think there are laws about that sort of thing in public."

Monique's eyes flashed. "I don't think we need to be that…physical."

Casey breathed a sigh of relief that turned into a choke as Monique stepped up to Derek.

"Just kiss her." Monique demanded.


	7. Not Bad for a Keener

"_Just kiss her."_ Monique said.

Derek looked at Casey. Casey looked at Derek. They switched to the mind-reading mode ,which they sometimes had.

_Okay…how much do you want to win?_ Derek eyes silently asked.

Casey closed her eyes slowly and re-opened them. _I don't – this is Rosie's idea. But Monique is a bully. I'm not giving in to HER!_

Derek shrugged. _Okay. So. If I do this, will you promise not to hit me somewhere vulnerable?_ He reached for her hand, his eyes not leaving hers.

Casey adjusted her stance and her shoulders dropped slight. _It'll be hard. But I'll try._

Derek gave a weak smile. _Okay. Try to look as though you are enjoying it._

"We're not big on PDA." He said aloud.

_Just so long as you understand this is excruciating…_ Casey's eyes were telling him.

_Hey. I'm the one that has to kiss the keener!_ Derek smirked back.

_Der-ek!_

But there was a spark in Casey's eyes that Derek didn't miss.

"We're not big on PDA." He repeated. "But if you insist…"

Derek stepped forward and letting go of her hand, slipped an arm around Casey's waist.

Casey raised her hands and he felt her fingers combing his hair and lock at the back of his head. She bit her bottom lip slowly and he subconsciously wet his own lips and bent his head to hers.

"This means nothing…okay?" He whispered.

"Of course." She replied breathlessly.

…And then he kissed her.

In the past four years Casey had dated four guys…five if you counted Derek – which she didn't.

Sam's kissing had been gentle, respectful…and if she was honest…boring. They had been dating for a while when he finally decided tongues needed to get involved.

Max…hmmm….Max lived for football. So kissing Max was like being on the receiving end of a touchdown…excruciating, but at the end…excruciating.

Truman…believed he had more skill than he actually did. It was always a let down.

Jesse was good at it, but at the end of the day it was like kissing someone who liked his choreography. Hands went here, lips brushed _here_, and tongue entered on the count of 3-2-1.

Derek…Derek…where the _hell_ had her mind gone?

Derek's lips brushed against Casey's and she drew in a deep breath. His eyes caught hers and he smiled. Then his fingers pulled his waist to her and his lips caught hers again…soft gentle, encouraging. She opened her mouth and let his tongue in.

Her fingers holding his head to hers.

Her body pressing close to his.

She wanted his hands to move over her body the way his lips moved over her own. He pulled her to him.

It wasn't one kiss, - after five she lost count. His lips owned hers. His tongue knew her own intimately. Their breathing was matched, their bodies were together and…

… _Hell_ he was good at this!

There was a whisper as they kissed: lips against lips, and then tongue encountering tongue. Her hands clawed his neck to hers, his arms pulled her tight to him. She felt him hard against her own groin and it seriously did not freak her out. He pushed his pelvis against hers and she responded. He slid his hands to her backside.

The kiss grew deep and, if this had happened in private, she would willingly have shed clothes for him.

He pulled away.

"Not bad. For a keener." He murmured against her ear.


	8. Up a Blind Alley

The room was dark because it was dark outside. The room was quiet because it was 1am. Casey was awake, confused…and not alone. She had acquired a roommate and she hadn't got a clue what to say to him, because he was Derek…

Derek Venturi. Her step-brother, her room mate and apparently, her "boyfriend".

"Do you practice in the mirror?" She said finally in the darkness.

Derek laughed and for once the sound didn't irritate her. He was across the room from her lying on the "spare" bed, yet it felt like he was lying beside her.

"No? Why? Does it feel like it?" Derek had always wanted to ask a girl what it was like to kiss him, but it seemed arrogant even to him. This situation was different, however.

"Stop it Derek." Casey pleaded.

"Why?"

"I'm trying to forget." Casey whispered.

Derek frowned, unseen in the gloom. "Because it was that bad?"

_No. Because it was that good._ She thought but didn't say. What she did say was: "I'm not answering that."

Derek turned on to his side and looked across in the dark to where she was lying, a whole room away from him.

"Admit it. You enjoyed it." Yes there was a degree of satisfaction in that thought.

Casey disagreed. "You can't win this argument, Derek."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because you want to pretend that I want you more than you want me. And the reality is, I know better."

"How so?"

Casey swallowed. She was about to discuss things she wouldn't be comfortable discussing with a real boyfriend, much less this man in tis room with her.

"Derek. I felt you." She squeaked. "Hard. Against me."

The last part was muttered.

There was silence in the darkness.

"Casey. I have that reaction over everything in a skirt." He lied.

"I know. But don't you find it appalling that you have that reaction over _me_!"

Prude Casey? Derek was actually enjoying this!

"Yes. Truly tragic." His tone said otherwise.

"The first time was bad enough." She said. "But the second time…"

He chuckled. "Alleyways do that to me."

They had left the bar shortly after the kiss. The resounding conclusion of the competition organisers was that Casey and Derek should stay in the competition – for entertainment value if nothing else. They stayed in the competition for now at least.

Afterwards, Derek had insisted to Casey (quietly and in a whisper) that after a kiss like _that_ he would not spend the rest of the evening having lame conversations about GPA with Casey's fellow keeners in the student union bar. He had insisted they went home to their room, and try to make it look like …well the obvious.

To Casey's disgust she was unable to come up with an argument against the idea, so they left, hand-in-hand.

Monique and Ben had followed them.

Derek had realised they had a "tail" after about thirty seconds. Halfway between the bar and their dorm, he had pulled Casey into a side alley to reprise the incident in the bar.

"_Kiss me!"_

"_What?"_

"_Kiss me, princess. We're being watched."_

_"Derek. This whole idea is insane. You cannot just pull me into an alley and de…" her words trailed away into his mouth._ "_Der-ek." She complained in a murmur when he let her breathe._

"_Casey?" He grinned, against her temple. Definitely enjoying this. Casey was evidently skilled too!_

But she protested too much. "_I didn't sign up for a mauling."_

"_No?" Derek kissed her again._

"_No." It was a bit half-hearted._

"_Fine. I won't maul you." He said, as his hands snaked behind her and slipped under her top._

"_Derek. Did you hear me?"_

"_Hmm?" He was kissing her neck. He _really_ shouldn't be enjoying this as much as he was._

"_Derek. Stop thinking with your groin and look at me." She paused. "At ME, Derek, not my chest."_

_He chuckled. "Uptight, much."_

"_Monique's gone."_

"_Really? I didn't notice." He lied. His fingers played with her back._

_She summoned up all her strength and pushed him away._

_They watched each other from a distance of two feet._

_Derek couldn't really blame her for the anger in her eyes. He'd pushed it too far._

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Well that's a first." She said, smiling despite herself._

"_I need potato chips and hockey." He said._

"_I need to clean my teeth." She said, letting him take her hand._

"_Oh come on. I wasn't _that_ bad!"_

The next few days were uneventful. Derek and Casey avoided each other as much as possible. Or at least, although they were in the same room, sitting next to each other, you could count on one hand the words they exchanged.

Rosie found it amusing. She had relaxed slightly because they were going through with the competition. The rest of it should be plain-sailing.

Casey found the situation bizarre to say the least.

As a rule she normally spoke to her mom on the phone every other day. Talking to her at the moment was not easy.

"Hi Sweetie. Everything okay?"

"Sure Mom. How's is everyone?"

"Marti's just got her first dancing medal and she is dying to show you it. Lizzie is taking a break from boys and Edwin…well…least said."

"How's bump?"

"Taking after Lizzie – although whether it's soccer or Tae Kwando I don't know. Either way it hurts."

Casey chuckled. "I miss you all."

"Aw! We miss you too." Nora said. "How's Derek?"

It came out of nowhere and she had to fight to bite back the squeak that threatened to escape.

"I would love to be able to say that I don't know, but Derek is being Derek, so unfortunately I am aware of everything."

"Oh dear. Does George need to get his cheque book out?"

Casey sighed. "No. Unfortunately, the only cost is emotional and the only victim is the usual one. Me."

Nora did sympathise. "I'm sorry Casey."

"Not as much as I am."

Nora smiled. She could tell Casey wasn't as angry as she made out and she felt relieved that, even though it had taken four years, Casey and Derek had grown up slightly and learnt to live with each other.

Thankfully, she didn't know just exactly _how_ true that statement was.

"At least he isn't under the same roof as you anymore." Nora suggested.

Casey looked across her room at the messy bed on the other side of the room; at the pile of dirty Derek laundry in the corner and the smelly hockey kit which he had _promised_ he would store in the locker room at the rink.

"I guess." She said lamely.

The door crashed open and her step-brother walked in.

"Does George want to talk to him? He's here."

Derek smirked at her as he threw himself onto his bed.

"Really?" Nora sounded surprised.

"Yeah. Evidently, sharing a couple of my lectures with me isn't enough. He drops in every now and then to share 'feel good family moments'."

Derek blew her a kiss and then laughed as she coloured up.

Casey threw her mobile at him. "George."

"No…Derek. You should know the difference by now…Hi Dad!"

Casey turned away and pulled out her laptop and lecture notes.

She had got into a habit of typing the notes up every day. It helped her review the topic, and made sure she could read her notes at revision time.

Derek lay on his bed, talking to his father, but he still he watched his 'sister'. He had taken to watching her a lot lately. It wasn't that he hadn't noticed her beauty before. It was now he had been given the opportunity to act on it. Now there were times, (admittedly only in public), but there _were_ times where if she looked hot, he could kiss her.

He had switched the TV on, but he was really watching her and not the screen. He was watching the neck that he had kissed, the hair that he had combed with his fingers and the legs that led to areas of her body he could still only dream about.

He decided he would thank Matt and Helena the next time he saw them.


	9. Bikinis, Virgins and Nora-isms

"You know a two-piece would be more flattering." Rosie said, tucking her legs under her in the lotus position as she watched Casey holding up swimwear. They were in Casey's room, and thankfully, Derek was still in lectures.

"I'm not wearing a bikini anywhere near Derek. I wouldn't have done it before and I'm certainly not doing it now. The mood he's in, he'll forget I'm his sister and I'll have to fight him off with a brush. What I need is a nice boring black speedo." Casey threw the garment she was holding onto the bed with vehemence. It definitely emphasised her point!

Rosie yawned. "Derek Venturi would not date a girl who wears a 'boring black speedo'." Her friend smiled broadly.

"Good. That's what I'm aiming for."

Rosie flopped back on the bed. "Casey! You're _supposed_ to be dating him, remember?" She groaned in frustration.

Casey folded her arms over her chest. "_Rosie_! You care about this competition more than our friendship, don't you?" The set of her jaw made it more than clear she was unhappy.

"Uh Duh! Have you seen the prize pot?" her friend chuckled in a relaxed manner. She knew Casey by now and she knew she was unlikely to severe ties with anyone. If she could stick around Derek putting up with Rosie's schemes were nothing. "Come on Case. You know that I'm only doing this for your own good. We can be popular!" (Although every now and then Rosie channelled Emily. It was annoying.)

"I'd rather sell my soul to the devil. Wait! I already have!" Casey exclaimed, sitting down hard on the bed.

"He knows he can't push it too far. He knows it's only a game. He knows he has to toe the line." Rosie tried.

Rosie's words hit home and Casey grinned, nodding her agreement. "It's driving him crazy. He can't date, because he already has a 'girlfriend'. Every one knows it so they would all turn him down, and yet his girlfriend isn't real so he has to behave himself. Of course, sex in any form is off the cards so he's 'frustrated'." She paused. "Wearing a hot little bikini would be really cruel, wouldn't it?"

Rosie swung her legs round behind her and lay on her stomach. She would take her victories in any form.

"Totally."

Casey stood up. "Come on Rosie."

Her friend complied, bemused. "Where are we going?"

"That swimwear place in town. I need a new bikini."

* * *

Derek and most of the other competitors were already in the pool when Casey emerged from the changing room. When he saw her he was grateful the water was so cold. The bikini she had picked was tiny and left very little to the imagination – and Derek's imagination was very good.

"What's that?" He asked from the water as she looked down on him.

"My bikini." Oh, Casey was really going to enjoy this!

Derek wasn't impressed. Nora would not have approved. He considered telling her, but decided against it.

"Where's the rest of it?" He finally choked out.

Casey relished his discomfort. "Ha! Ha! Moron."

Derek hauled himself from the pool and sat dripping on the side. He glanced again at his step-sister.

"Does Nora know you wear swimwear like that?"

But he already knew the answer.

Casey smiled. "It's flattering. Don't you think?"

It was, but that didn't impress Derek. Why did Casey have to make everything so difficult? As a distraction as much as anything else he reached up, grabbed her ankle and pulled her into the pool with a shriek.

After some thrashing around, Casey spluttered as she righted herself in the water. Derek's eyes widened to the size of hubcaps and he swallowed hard.

"Der-ek!" Casey complained, still annoyed at his pulling her into the water.

Derek slipped into the pool again and pulled himself through the water towards her. As he drew close his arm wound round her waist again. He bent his mouth to her ear.

"I know it's supposed to be flattering. However I don't think it's the look you really want to go for. When it's dry if there was any less of it you'd be naked – when it's dry. But when it's wet you _are _naked."

Casey looked down at the small gap between their bodies and realised he was right. The tiny bikini, which barely covered anything when it was dry had turned translucent as soon as it was wet. It was worse than the wet t-shirt business a few days ago.

Casey was, to all purposes, naked. Unlike the previous incident however she had more than an audience of one. The spectator benches were full…and Derek was holding her.

"Holy Shit!" Casey rolled out a rare curse.

"Why do you think I'm standing in front of you?" He murmured quietly. "I assumed you didn't want anyone else seeing you like this."

Casey was purple with embarrassment. "I'm not sure I want _you_ seeing me like this."

Derek chuckled but he didn't draw away from her.

"Rosie!" He shouted up into the spectator area.

"Yeah?" A voice from the stands called back.

"In that bag of mine you have, there's a t-shirt. Throw it to me please."

A black Metallica t-shirt flew down and Derek caught it.

He helped Casey pull it over her head and she saw to her relief that it covered the important parts.

"Can you swim like that?" He asked.

"Yes." There was a pause. "Derek?"

"Yup?"

"Thanks." She slipped her own arm around him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

He smiled. "And thank _you_."

"For what?"

"For not kissing me like that two minutes ago when you were naked."

They both laughed.

* * *

"This stage is the swimming relay. Of course it is! It's a bit wet for rock climbing. So you need to complete thirty lengths each – that's sixty lengths per couple. The first couple to finish gets ten points, the second couple nine points and so on down. It is up to you who goes first, boy or girl – and I bet that's a conversation you've had before…"

Derek pulled a face at the guy's stupid joke.

"I should do the second leg." Casey said. "I'm better at the sprint than you. You're better over long distances."

Derek smirked. "Sorry? Was that you saying I have stamina?"

She rolled her eyes and ignored him, turning in the water and slipping quickly into the front crawl as she completed a couple of lengths to warm up. Derek was about to settle into his normal 'watching Casey' mode, when he realised that they were both in the pool and if he tried he might catch her. He launched himself after her and before long was drawing close.

They were both strong swimmers, but Casey was particularly graceful, a side effect of the dancing. Derek's strength _was_ his strength. He had a strong upper body.

…which he used to full advantage as he reached Casey, pulling her down under the water with him. Her eyes widened under water as he kissed the end of her nose. She waited until they re-surfaced before reacting.

"Der-ek!" She croaked. She had inhaled water and it made her throat sore.

He laughed. "Don't worry. I won't do that again."

"Good!"

"Nah! You're dripping pool water and snot. It's a real turn-off."

Casey's reply was unrepeatable.

* * *

"He's not doing too badly is he?" Rosie said when Casey was once again on the side, a fresh towel wrapped around her shoulders.

"He's holding back a bit. He can swim a lot faster than that." Casey replied. Her friend smiled at the almost affectionate comment.

"You two know each other very well don't you?"

Casey shrugged. "We've spent a lot of time together." She explained.

"I thought you hated each other." Rosie found her complacency amusing. But Casey also smiled.

"You learn a lot about someone when you are arguing with them. If we're home we're normally arguing. Plus, Derek was in a lot of my lessons. The first three weeks at college, was the first time we've spent more than a week apart in four years."

"Did you miss him?" Rosie asked the very genuine question

Casey glanced over at where Derek was on his twenty fifth lap and gave a very genuine answer.

"Yes. A lot."

* * *

Casey dived into the pool over Derek's head the moment his hand touched the side. He had swum a good time but the other competitors were also strong and he came in fifth place so she wanted to make up some ground. Derek was exhausted, but he swung himself out of the lane and out of the pool so that he didn't get in her way. Rosie handed him a towel.

"Thanks." Derek sounded a little breathless, but Rosie could tell it wasn't through lack of fitness. She swallowed slightly because Derek Venturi in swimming trunks and not much else was quite a sight.

"You came in fifth." She told him, but there was no disappoint in her voice. Derek had done much better than most would.

Derek shrugged. "I held my own in a strong field. Besides, Casey will make most of that up."

"Is she good?"

"Yes." Derek was towelling himself off.

"She looks impressive." So did Derek.

He turned away and muttered softly. "She always does."

* * *

In the end, and to Casey's chagrin, Monique's team won. It was her military boyfriend who won it for them. It turned out he also swam for Canada in his early teens. Casey and Derek came a good second though, and the girl from Casey's English class came third.

In the warmth of the changing rooms, Casey suddenly realised how close she had come to humiliating embarrassment in the pool. If it hadn't been for Derek she would have revealed far more of herself than Casey would have been comfortable with. She sat with her head in her hands, half dressed.

"Cheer up." Said a sneering voice suddenly from beside her. Casey looked up to find Monique standing next to her bench.

The unpleasant girl went on. "Maybe you and your lame boyfriend will have better luck next time. How did _you_ get _him_ anyway? He doesn't strike me as the virgin type. I guess that must be his _thing_. Most guys have it, you know…some sort of quirk or kink."

Casey ignored the taunt from Monique. Instead she stood up, dressed quickly and left. But the words did hit home and when the time came to leave the changing room, she charged out of the main door …and straight into Derek.

"Whoa. Slow down. What's eating you?" He said, hands on her arms and immediately spotting her distress.

Casey adjusted her posture, slung her bang on her shoulder and looked off to one side. "Nothing. Just Monique that's all."

Derek frowned. "She said something?"

But his "girlfriend" wouldn't meet his eyes. "Just about me being a virgin."

With sudden understanding and sympathy, Derek slid his arm around her shoulders and led her away from the building.

"Casey. It was probably so long ago that she lost her own, she's forgotten how precious it is."

His step-sister looked up at him in astonishment.

He shrugged. "Evidently, I've spent too long in the same house as your mother. I open my mouth and Nora-isms spout out."

Casey laughed. "I appreciate it. Thank you." Her voice finished timidly and she blushed.

"No problem." Derek reassured her awkwardly.

Casey fussed with her bag and then blurted. "Are you hungry?"

Derek was truthful. "You know me, I'm always hungry."

"How about I take you to lunch to say thank you?" Casey was nervous for some reason. But she asked the question anyway.

Derek was taken aback. "For a speech about protecting your virginity?"

Casey grinned. "That and the bikini incident."

Derek laughed. "Yes…well. That wasn't an incident…"

"…thanks to you…"

"It's going to take some serious food to erase the sight of you naked from my mind." Derek confessed.

Casey pouted. "Don't be mean."

Derek planted a kiss in her hair.

"I wasn't been mean, Case. I was telling it how it is."


	10. CInderella's Ugly SIsters

The small Italian restaurant was busy with the early evening rush. They had been given a nice "table for two" away from the window, however. Derek was enjoying watching Casey in the candlelight.

"You know what scares me the most?" Casey said, taking a sip from her mineral water.

"George in leather pants?" Derek kept it light.

She laughed. "No. Why? Is that high on your list?"

"You think it shouldn't be?" They both laughed and Casey continued.

"Actually, what scares me the most is that in three years time I have to be a proper adult. I have to go out there and do something with my life. I can't blame school or parents…" She paused and smiled. "…Or annoying step-brothers, if I screw up. Because it can only be my fault."

Derek nodded. "For some of those we went to school with, that moment is now. Some of them didn't go on to college. There are three people in our year that will start the New Year with babies, so I guess the real world hitting you and me in three years time and not now, means maybe we've already passed a few hurdles."

"That's a good way to think of it." Casey paused and looked at him.

"Why are we doing this, Derek?"

"Doing what?" Derek was already tucking into the breadsticks.

"This stupid competition. This ridiculous prank. Pretending there is something between us when there clearly isn't." Casey was irritated.

Derek looked away. Anywhere, but at Casey – the way he had looked away when her mom married his dad.

"Because this is "us", Casey. It's the way we are. We get each other into bizarre situations and then jump in and lend a hand to get ourselves out of it. No one ever said our relationship made any sense." He snapped a bread stick in his mouth to emphasise the point.

"Do we have one?" Casey's voice was strangely timid.

"One what?" Oblivious as always.

"A relationship." Frustrated as always!

"Sure." Derek said smirking, and Casey knew he was going to say something stupid. "I'm dating you aren't I?"

Their food came then and conversation stopped for a while as they tucked into pasta and pizza. Suddenly, Casey put her hand on Derek's and whispered,

"Oh my god! Talking of pleather…"

Derek followed her eyes to a table a short distance from theirs. A man in his late forties was wearing a very tight – in a wrinkled sort of way – pair of red pleather pants. Such sartorial elegance would not normally lend itself to company but this man was sharing his restaurant table with a lady, clearly also not blessed with a fashion brain. Her outfit was cerise pink, tight (though the woman was of ample proportions) - and also of the plastic variety.

"Oooo. I bet they chafe!" Derek whispered back. Casey giggled, a sound that appealed to Derek in every way.

"And the hair! What sort of guy dresses like that?" He asked to distract himself.

Casey shrugged. "Someone on a bet?"

"No. I reckon he works in a music shop. He probably plays in a 'band' in his spare time."

"What about his date?" Casey asked. The woman had bleached blonde hair and tattoos up her arms.

"His lead singer."

"I love people-watching!"

Derek nodded to the other side of the restaurant. "What about that couple over there? They look as though they are doing the dirty to me."

Casey frowned. "Is that a euphemism?" Derek knew that Nora didn't keep her daughter sheltered from life it was more that Casey tended to ignore real life. He wondered if she was genuinely so "innocent" or whether it was a self-defence mechanism. He knew from experience that children of divorce find their own ways to cope. With Derek it had been goofing off – and girls.

"A what? I meant I think they are sleeping together." Sometimes they seemed to be speaking a different language.

Casey's eyes widened. "How can you tell?"

"You mean apart from the hand-holding and gazing into each other's eyes?" Derek despaired!

Casey nodded. "Yes. Hand-holding and gazing isn't definitive you know."

He laughed. "No. Because if it was, I'd be sleeping with you." He looked pointedly down to where her fingers were still on his. He flicked his eyes back up to hers. Casey took her hand away slowly. Derek had a point.

"They're playing footsie under the table." He explained. "The question is…which of them is married to someone else."

She looked horrified. "Why do you think they are having an affair?"

Derek shrugged. "Because people of that age rarely hold hands over dinner if they are married to each other."

Casey pulled a face. "You have no romance to you. Mom and George hold hands."

"I'm just realistic, Case. Most couples aren't like our parents."

"Don't you believe in love?"

"Love is feelings."

"And you don't _do_ feelings." She finished in an offended tone.

Oblivious, Derek grinned, but, Casey leaned forward.

"Marti." She said, picking Derek's real weakness, the small girl who was giddy and worldly-wise in equal measure.

Derek conceded the point. "Ok. I will admit I love my little sister."

"George?" Casey suggested.

"Okay. So as dads go…" Derek frowned. It wasn't a surprise to him that he loved his family he was just surprised that Casey was determined to discuss this. Derek had a suspicion where this was heading.

"Edwin?"

"Now you are pushing it." They both grinned again but Derek's uneasiness hadn't subsided.

Casey paused before her next suggestion. "Mom?"

"Nora?" Derek looked uncomfortable. This was definitely moving in a direction he wasn't too happy with. Casey was working her way through the whole family, which would mean in a minute she was going to ask him if he loved her.

"Marti's favourite fairy tale is Cinderella." He said smirking. "I concur."

"So Mom's the evil step-mother and Lizzie and I are the ugly step-sisters….?" She raised an eyebrow.

Derek cut to the chase. "I love my family, Casey."

"All of it?"

"Yeah all of it. Even Anastasia." He said sipping his drink.

There! He had said it but it such a way that it wasn't such a dramatic revelation. Casey understood. Derek gazed at her across the candlelight.

"So…are you resigned to the interlopers yet?" He went on.

Casey was confused. "Interlopers?"

"The cuckoos in _your_ nest. The Venturis."

Casey looked thoughtful. "I can't remember what life was like without your half of the family. I mean I know I thought I loved that life, but when I look back my memories are vague, fuzzy, black and white. My memories since are vivid, colourful, intense." She grinned. "And most of them smell of honey and stale hockey kit." They both smiled warmly. Casey shuffled in her chair. "Talking of which, I thought you were going to keep it at the rink."

Derek joined in the banter. "Come on. You'd miss it if you didn't fall over it every time you walk through the door."

"I'd live with the depravation." She said.

"I'm not moving it…" and then they were arguing as normal.

Derek relaxed and gave thanks for Casey's smooth diversion tactics. He sensed she had felt uncomfortable too.

* * *

Derek slung an arm around her shoulders as they walked home to the dorm. It was dark now, and the weather was starting to turn cold as Fall settled in. Casey smiled and leaned against him, grateful for the warmth.

The journey home was silent. To anyone watching they looked like any other pair of students in love.

"What are you doing tonight?" Casey asked softly the dorm building came into view. Her tone and the whole atmosphere made him ditch whatever plans he had previously made – probably for the next fifty years!

"I thought maybe I'd continue this feel-good family moment by whopping your ass at Babe Raider II. What'd'ya think?" Derek still needed to work on his delivery.

"Rosie will probably want to prep us for tomorrow's quiz." Casey groaned. Derek took it as a positive thing that she hadn't given him an outright "no".

He stopped walking, which forced Casey to halt too. "Then we'll sneak in the back door, and hole up in our room with snacks, beer and popcorn, and the lights off- so she can't see us." He added the last bit in case it put her off.

Casey seemed anything but. "We'd better go shopping then. You've eaten us out of house and home."

"Good point." He said steering them dramatically towards the grocery store.

* * *

"Are you staying there, or are you sleeping in your own bed tonight?" Derek asked Casey softly, he sounded amused. He looked down at the heavy weight on his chest. It was breathing softly, rhythmically. Her hair was spread over his shirt. She didn't answer.

They had been playing a special two-player game of Babe Raider for hours and he had noticed after a while that he was doing all the work. The sight of Casey resting against him, her body propped in front of him, between his legs was unnerving, in all the best ways.

He carefully switched the game off and the television on. Then he removed the controller from her hands and settled back to watch a late night film. And Casey slept on.


	11. Distraction

**Chapter 11: Distraction**

As feel good family moments went, Casey thought it was stretching the point, but nothing had actually happened. She woke up, still fully dressed, on top of his bed-clothes – not under them – but she _was_ in his arms. He hadn't kissed her, not even a small chaste kiss on her hair. It was just that for once they had spent several hours together in complete friendship.

But for Derek Venturi and Casey McDonald that was as almost as serious as if they had spent the entire night in a writhe of limbs and bodily fluids.

He woke as she tried to sit up, and put on the light. They both blinked and Casey blushed.

"Don't look so guilty." He chided.

"Sorry. I feel like I just had a one night stand."

"Because we spent time together and didn't fight?" He grinned. She nodded.

"We are normal after all." She said picking at the blankets on his bed.

"I hope not." He murmured. Casey laughed. He pulled her hair gently and she avoided his eyes.

"I need to get ready for bed. Sleeping in my clothes makes me grouchy." Casey informed him. Derek looked amused.

"Sleeping in your clothes or sleeping with me?" He asked.

"What a question!"

* * *

Rosie was cleaning her teeth when Casey padded into the bathroom a few moments later. She raised an eyebrow, making her look quizzically at her friend.

"Where did _you_ get to tonight?"

Casey busied herself getting ready. She monitored her own breathing carefully not wanting to give anything away though it felt as though she had a large sign on her forehead saying "Tonight, I slept with my step-brother…and I liked it." Even though nothing, of course, happened.

"I've been in my room." Plain and simple, the basic truth.

Rosie wasn't convinced. "All night? I knocked." They had avoided her after all.

"We were playing Babe Raider. It was noisy." Casey yawned. "I fell asleep in my clothes. I hate that!"

"Sleeping in your clothes or spending quality time with Derek?"

Casey looked shyly at Rosie. "It was nice, spending time with Derek." She admitted.

"Don't look so guilty Casey. You are friends after all."

Her friend chuckled. "You have no idea how weird the idea of Derek and I as friends really sounds."

_Or how right it really feels._

* * *

"Come on Space-case! Rise and shine or we'll be late for breakfast." Derek leant over her bed and tickled her nose.

"What happened to 'I'm Derek, I don't do mornings'?"

He shrugged. "I'm hungry. Sleep and food have equal weighting in my mind."

"After everything that you ate last night?"

"Yeah. This is me, remember? After four years you must realise food trumps almost everything else."

Casey sat up. Her face was shadowed and concerned, Derek perched on the bed beside her.

"Last night was good, Case. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"I wasn't. It was just…weird."

"I know. But weird doesn't mean bad, huh? I know what you're like so, don't freak. There's no need."

"No I guess not."

Derek leant forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Get up, I'm hungry."

* * *

"I've got a lecture." Casey said as Derek made to go back to the dorm after breakfast.

"Okay. I've got a hockey practice anyway. I'm only going back for my kit."

"Leave it in your locker room this time, please."

The despairing look on her face made him laugh. "Okay. You win." He looked around. "Monique about?"

"Yeah." Casey nodded towards to the quad where students were already starting to collect despite the early hour. The blonde was watching them.

"Fine." Derek stepped towards her. "Do you mind?" He asked slipping an arm around her waist.

"Another kiss?" She asked.

"Believe me, I'm toning it down. If we were really dating, you wouldn't have made it out of bed this morning." He wasn't lying.

"Ah! So sex trumps food?" Casey delighted in pointing out, although her hands had started to shake the moment he touched her.

"That depends on the girl." Derek smirked, moving to kiss her.

He meant it as a gentle kiss, a parting shot. But the sight of Casey closing her eyes and willingly parting her mouth for him as he leant towards her changed all that. As his mouth found hers, he kissed her as he had wanted to the night before. But it was Casey who really deepened the kiss, letting her tongue join his. He leant back against the wall pulled her body to his, and was rewarded with her dropping her bag so that she could wrap her arms around him.

It was a while before they broke the kiss, and when they did, Derek's eyes were wild and he wouldn't let her go.

"Give me a minute." He said his forehead against hers.

"Should I be flattered or repulsed?" She asked with humour, flushed and breathless but still smiling. Derek was impressed.

"Knowing you, I'd go with the latter." He grinned at her. Casey shook her head in amused despair.

"Edwin naked, Derek." She whispered trying to sort out his predicament.

"That might have worked, if you didn't use the bedroom voice." He complained. Casey glanced at her watch over his shoulder.

"I've got to go, D. I've got a lecture, with Professor Morton."

Derek pushed her away. "Yup. That did it. Morbid Morton is as good as a cold shower any day."

He grinned, but though they were now several steps away from each other Casey sighed and looked troubled.

"It's not good, Derek."

"What isn't?" Of course he knew!

"You aren't supposed to get turned on by kissing me. I'm your…" Derek put a finger against her lips halting her words.

"You're my friend, Casey. It's only until after the weekend, then I'll even let you dump me in a very public and humiliating way. How's that?"

She chuckled. "Better."

And he kissed her gently and briefly again.

"Enjoy Morbid. I'll see you later."

* * *

It was a very troubled Derek who walked the short distance to the dorm, collected his kit and walked to the rink; troubled because he knew Casey was right. He should not find his step-sister attractive. He should not be doing everything in his power to be near her.

He spent sometime trying to remember when he had last been away from Casey for more than five minutes and he came to the conclusion that they had been in each other's company for solidly twenty-four hours, only ignoring bathroom breaks.

And that was not normal. That was not healthy, because this was all make-believe and Casey felt nothing except sisterly affection for him.

The closest Derek had ever come to unreciprocated attraction was Sally – and that didn't bode well; Because Sally had eventually been his lover. He had made mind-blowing decisions for Sally. He had lost his mind over her.

And all through that, Casey had been in the background. She had been his anchor to reality. It had been Casey that provided him with the reality check.

The trouble was, he was fairly sure that what he felt for Sally was nothing to what he was now feeling for Casey. That was in a whole new league. And it was getting worse every day.

As he skated out onto the ice, he made a decision. He needed a distraction – of the female kind.

* * *

There was a girl behind the bar in one of Derek's usual haunts who had been attentive on a couple of previous visits. Derek had been with a bunch of guys and not hugely in the mood for making small talk so whilst he had smirked back and shown some interest he'd not pushed to take things any further. As he pulled the door open to the bar that lunchtime, he decided maybe he really needed to change that.

For the sake of his own sanity.

"Hi!" She greeted him with enthusiasm. "All alone?"

"Yeah."

"Usual?" She asked. He grinned.

"I'm impressed you remember."

"You're not someone I forget easily."

"I'm flattered."

"You should be."

She placed the beer bottle on the counter and rested her hand on his as he started to reach for the money.

"On the house."

"Thanks."

She hadn't removed her hand.

And that was the killer moment.

Her hand on his reminded him of yesterday in the restaurant when Casey had placed her own hand on top of his. That was when he realised he couldn't do it…he couldn't be unfaithful…

His phone rang.

Derek took his hand away from the girl's own to pull the cell from his jacket pocket.

**Klutzilla Mob**.

He really needed to change that display name. Casey didn't deserve that anymore. She had never deserved that. Maybe this whole thing was his fault…or maybe not…maybe they would never know.

"Hi Babe!" He answered without thinking.

Casey was amused. "Slip of the tongue, Derek?"

"I'm not alone." He said, his mind catching on. His eyes looked up at the girl behind the bar. She caught the look and her heart sank.

"Ah. Where are you?" Casey asked on the other end of the phone.

"In a bar, why where are you?" Derek really wanted to see her.

Casey shifted her book bag on her shoulder. "Just leaving lunch. Are you coming to Journalism or not?"

There was a pause whilst Derek considered the wisdom of the situation.

"Yeah sure. I'm halfway there. You wanna meet me here?" To hell and damnation.

Derek gave Casey the address and looked apologetically at the girl behind the bar. Time to let her down gently. She needed to know Derek was spoken for.

"Sorry. My girlfriend."

The first time he had said it - and hopefully not the last.

"Oh." The bargirl started to look angry and then realised that he really hadn't done anything to encourage her and maybe she had overstepped the mark.

"I'm sorry. I'm not normally so forward." She apologised with grace.

Derek smiled with equal apology. "And I'm not normally so reluctant. It's just this girl…" How did he describe Casey, and their relationship?

"Is special?"

Derek closed his eyes against the thought. He opened them and grinned. "You could say that. I'll deny it though."

They chuckled.

Shortly afterwards, Casey entered the bar and crossed to him. She smiled at him and he was glad he was sitting down. When she reached him Derek pressed his lips briefly against Casey's. The latter looked up at him shyly from behind her eyelashes.

"What was that for?"

"Habit." He teased. Casey rolled her eyes. Derek drained his beer, and slid off the stool. As soon as he was upright, Derek took Casey's hand.

"Come on, princess. Let's go."

He nodded to the girl behind the bar, who sighed. She recognised a lost cause when she saw one.


	12. Chapter 12 Monique

**Chapter 12: Monique**

"_Question 32. Name four of the Queen's grandchildren."_

Across the bar area in a small booth, Casey took the pen from Derek's fingers and scribbled the answer on the sheet that was currently lying on the table in front of her. Derek glanced at the paper as she wrote and then snorted in amusement.

"Trust you to go for the more obscure ones." He commented taking a sip of his drink.

"The answer's right, why do you care?" Casey snapped back without meeting his gaze. Derek wasn't surprised by her tone, she had been off with him since they returned to their room earlier that evening. He wasn't surprised, but he also wasn't about to let it continue.

"I'm just teasing, princess." He murmured quietly. Since Casey was used to confrontation when it came to her interactions with Derek, his sudden softness of speech and failure to rise to the bait and argue with her had more effect.

Casey's shoulders slumped. "Sorry. I'm on edge." She muttered equally quietly. Derek's eyes watched her carefully. He saw the slight twitch on the curve of her neck where it was free of her hair. A nervous tick that agreed with her statement.

"Why?"

Casey's eyes flashed and then the fire died. "You know why." She admitted. Derek feigned ignorance.

"Me?"

She nodded. "When we argued all the time, I could handle it. But now…now there's way too much kissing." Casey turned her head away and tried to find something – anything- to concentrate on rather than Derek.

"You want me to stop kissing you?" He asked his lips _so_ close to her ear it _really_ unnerved Casey.

She dropped her eyes and started doodling on the paper in front of her.

"I'm pleading the fifth." She hissed. Though Derek's own conscience was far from happy about the whole situation there was still a need to be the opposite of whatever mood Casey was in.

"Ha ha, Casey. You're Canadian." He pointed out unnecessarily.

"Okay. I plead the 13th."

Derek chuckled. The quizmaster continued.

"_Question 33: Okay, a riddle. "I'm married to my brother's father's wife's daughter and it's legal. How come?"_

Jaw-dropping, Casey looked up at Derek in panic. He laughed, took the pen from her and wrote on the sheet:

_She's your step-sister._

Casey threw her hands in the air. "Oh great! Now we're a question on a general knowledge quiz." She exclaimed. Derek maintained his cool, calm exterior.

"No we aren't. For that, I'd have to marry you." It was splitting hairs…

Casey gave him a dirty look as he slipped an arm around her back.

"Just relax please. " Derek instructed her. "You're making _me_ edgy and that is some feat."

At that moment, Casey attempted to turn and give him a stern look, but Derek met her lips halfway through the turn. Once committed to the kiss, Casey slumped against him and he locked his arms around her.

"Please tell me that wasn't 'habit' again." Casey said when he released her mouth.

"Nope." He said turning back to the questions. "That was because I wanted to."

Casey froze and stared at him. Then she pulled herself away from him, quickly.

"What?" Derek asked.

"You two are quiet." Rosie stated as they walked home from the bar. Rosie wasn't stupid. She knew something was going on between her two friends. The difference was, unlike Casey might have been in her position, she felt no need to get involved – unless it affected her chances of winning.

"Sorry." Casey said. "Just thinking about the rock climbing."

Derek glanced at her.

"Yeah…right." He muttered under his breath. _I doubt that very much._ But he wasn't going to question her in front of Rosie. Both Casey and Derek had the measure of Rosie. They liked her, were friends with her…did they trust her?

Rosie, meanwhile had already moved on to something else. "That was an impressive performance Casey. 35 questions right out of 50. And then the logic questions…you got _all_ of them right. How come?"  
Casey looked distracted but she still answered. It was an easier question to respond to than any Rosie might have asked about the silence between her two friends.

"There's a knack to logic puzzles and I like them. Plus those weren't difficult. The person setting the tasks obviously had a low opinion of students."  
Rosie shrugged. "I don't know about that. No one else came anywhere near you. You do realise you are winning this competition don't you?"  
Casey glanced away. Her mind was on anything but the competition.

"Hmmm." She answered Rosie's quizzical look.

Derek said nothing.

Instead he waited until they were alone in their room.

"Just what exactly _is_ your problem?" He asked rather bluntly as Casey slipped her lightweight coat from her shoulders and "busied" herself…avoiding Derek – not easy when you share a room barely 10ft by 10ft. Did he not understand the serious of the whole thing? Anything, even a _hint_ of scandal between step-brother and sister could tear their family apart and… Casey tried to avoid Derek's eyes. They drew her in and…

Casey flipped.

"I am sick of your arrogance, sick of your mind games, and sick of being pranked by you."

"When did I do that?" Derek was genuinely confused. He sat heavily on one of the beds.

"Kissing me because I'm a "habit"? Kissing me because you "want" to? That's not pranking?" her voice was rising about normal levels. Derek tried to signal to her that she was in danger of the gossips from outside hearing every word. He tried negotiation…quiet negotiation.

"Casey, I'm finding it hard to understand exactly what it is you have a problem with? So I kissed you. I've kissed you a lot this week." Quiet decided to leave halfway through his silence.

"Yeah and that's bad enough. That at least felt like a prank I was in on. But turning the prank against me…"

"How so?" Dark and ominous.

"Putting on an act for everyone else is one thing. Trying to make out that you like kissing me Derek when we're on our own. That's low even by your standards of Casey prank." She could feel hysteria rising and took a deep breath. "Look, I just want to get through this horrific week, dump you and get on with the rest of my life – without you. We've kissed enough. I think people have established that we are "dating". No more kisses."

With that, Casey folded her arms defensively across her chest.

Derek was trying very hard to control his anger. He totally missed that Casey was affected by the way they were in private rather than the way they were in public.

"Fine no more kisses. But I've got a better plan. I'll withdraw from the competition, you can dump me and I'll go shack up with some meaningless blonde. In fact, I'll do it _right now_."

He stormed off towards the door and paused.

"I'll come back for my stuff tomorrow."

The door slammed behind him.

Derek's anger took him as far as the living room. He was a joker and rarely took anything in life seriously enough to be really angry. Rage and Derek were only casual acquaintances; anger came in brief flashes that were over before they had begun. Derek preferred to joke his way out of trouble and when that failed … lie. He really didn't want to walk away from Casey. Quite apart from any feelings he had for her, he sort of understood Casey's confusion. Every time he had shown any affection towards her in the past he had immediately followed it up with denial and jokes, and yes, sometimes even pranks.

And now when he wanted her to understand how much she meant to him, she would never believe him. With the finally throes of discontent Derek threw himself angrily into an armchair.

"OOoo. Fight with the girlfriend?" Monique called from from her favourite hiding place, curled up in a dark corner of the building - rather like an arachnid. She had on her charming face. Her contempt was only directed at the absent Casey. When it was Casey's hot boyfriend and Monique alone in the room together, the latter was going to pull out all the charm stops.

"You could say that." Derek muttered, not really interested in the hot blonde, who got up and crossed to a chair next to him.

"What do you see in _her_ anyway? You know, _I_ can do virginal."

Derek chuckled despite himself. "I find that hard to believe."

"Of course, experience is more fun." She said and slid her palm along his thigh. Was she seriously coming on to him in the dorm living room?

"You really want to win this competition, don't you?" Derek said, trying to ignore the automatic response from his body. Monique shrugged.

"So what? Of course it helps that coming between you and Casey would be a pleasurable experience for both you and I. And you don't need to worry about my boyfriend, we have a _very_ open relationship, and he's even more competitive than I am."

"Really." Said Derek, swallowing hard as Monique's fingers started tugging on his belt.

"Come on. Let's take this to my room." She said.


	13. Chapter 13 Pneumonia

**Chapter 13: Pneumonia**

It was late. Casey was asleep and their room was in darkness when he got back. He considered going into the living room on his way past to make himself a hot drink because he was freezing, but he really didn't want to run the risk of bumping into Monique again.

Casey's dorm mate had made it quite clear that she was offering sex in some form when she accosted him in the armchair. The Derek that Casey thought she knew would have accepted in a flash. But the thing was, as Derek had stated a few days earlier, Casey really knew nothing about Derek and girls. He had standards, and actually they were quite high; not as high as they probably should be, but they didn't allow him to accept offers of the Monique kind from girls he had only known a few days. Derek had paid attention in sex ed, and whilst he was no stranger to the act, it was not an act he went into with strangers.

Monique had been seriously pissed at the rejection. And it could have become really nasty if the cute girl who was dating the women's hockey captain hadn't walked in just as Monique was about to seriously vent. Derek had made his exit abruptly.

And then he had gone for a walk. A very long, very cold walk because his jacket was still in his room. The room he shared with Casey. The very intelligent, very beautiful, very intense girl who he was rapidly suspecting he was falling in l…._scratch that word out before someone reads it!_

Casey wasn't talking to him. And if he tried to talk her round she wouldn't believe him. So he decided to perform his usual fall-back and ignore the fight. He turned back towards the dorm and let himself in.

Approximately, thirty seconds after he entered their bedroom for the second time (on his way back from the bathroom), Casey woke up and switched the light on.

"What are you doing, Derek?" She asked yawning.

"Getting ready for bed, what does it look like?"  
"I thought you were going to go and find a random blonde."

"Hmmm. Yeah well, one threw herself at me and I threw her away."

"Spare me the details."

"Yeah I will. Monique will probably share anyway."

Casey turned pale. "You slept with Monique?" She said quietly.

"You believe that if it fits the pattern you want it to." He said getting into his bed. She flinched. Derek relented and continued. "But when I said I threw her away, I meant unused."

Casey came across the room. "She seriously tried to seduce you?" Her voice was incredulous. "What about her boyfriend?" She sat down on the bed.

"Apparently, they have an open relationship."

"Hell! She really wants to win this competition."

"You think?" Derek said sarcastically.

"Why did you say no? She's exactly your type."

"Casey, you have no idea what my 'type' is. Okay? Because I don't have a type. Even I don't know why I find one girl attractive and another, a turn-off. I wish I did. I am not the player you have me written off with, Case. Jeez, do you seriously think that badly of me?"

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I only get to see the Dating Derek that you show me and over the past few years that's been one long string of blondes with barely a brain cell between them."

"That doesn't stop them being nice people, Casey, with standards of their own. And I didn't treat them badly – well no worst than most teenage males. You should know that. I've not treated you badly, have I?"

"That's different. That's a game."

Derek reached a hand up to her cheek.

"You seriously believe that?" He said softly.

Silence.

"Your hands are freezing." Casey said eventually, turning her face into his hand.

"I needed to think. I went for a long walk."

"Without your jacket on?" She frowned.

"Yeah. Insane, I know."

"Why didn't you get yourself a hot drink when you got back?"

"I was trying to avoid Monique."

Casey chuckled. "That sounds like you. Wait here. I'll be back."

And then she _was_ back, carrying two hot chocolates and smiling broadly.

"The coast was clear. Shove over."

"Sorry…is this Casey the prude getting into bed with a guy?" He joked moving aside for her.

"This is your sister trying to avoid having to nurse acute pneumonia. Body heat and hot chocolate."

"You've been watching too many documentaries, princess." But he was grateful for the hot drink as he sipped it.

"Sorry was that Derek the player complaining about having a girl in his bed?"

"I'm not a player."

"And I'm not a prude."

"You're not my sister either." He said pointedly.

Then he laughed.

"What?" Casey lifted her head from her mug.

"I'm just picturing the look on the faces of Sam and Emily and our family if they could see us now."

"What's wrong with me sitting in your bed drinking hot chocolate?"

"As far as I'm concerned… nothing. As far as the rest of our intimate little circle of friends and family goes, probably rather a lot."  
"Well what they don't know won't hurt them."

He smiled at her. "I've had way too much influence over you."

He picked up the remote for the TV and pressed the on button, then flicked around until he found a passable film. He put his mug on the side and took Casey's from her. Then he manoeuvred her into the space between his legs the way he had the other night, and gave her back her mug. Casey leant back against his chest.

And the rollercoaster that was Casey and Derek plateau-ed again.


	14. Chapter 14 Fever

**Chapter 14: Fever**

"Have you fallen asleep again?" Derek murmured against Casey's ear.

"No."

He looked at the clock. It was 2am. There were a hundred reasons why he should point out the lateness of the hour and the fact they both needed to sleep – in their own beds. But he didn't. Casey was well aware of the time and for someone who was so protective of her beauty sleep, she was incredibly reluctant to move.

The hot chocolate mugs had long since been relegated to the nightstand, and the movie was on its last legs. But his fingers meshed with hers and he felt her relax against him. Derek pressed a kiss in her hair.

"Are you staying here?" he asked softly.

"It's not exactly the biggest bed in the world, Derek." She looked up at him. "If I say I will stay are you going to shout 'in your dreams, Spacey' and kick me out?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. That sounds like me, doesn't it?" She felt his arms tighten around her. "I'm not kicking you out."

"Why?" She turned in his arms so that she was lying on him. She rested her arms on his chest and her chin on her arms and regarded him thoughtfully. And Derek watched her back.

"What?" She asked after a long time where neither looked away.

"If I told you, you'd never believe me."

Casey shrugged. "Since when has that bothered you?" And they both chuckled. He put his hands to her sides and shifted her higher up his body so their faces were level.

"Do you ever wish Dad hadn't met Nora?"

"No." Casey stated. And he believed her…which actually wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"Why?"

"I love our family. I wouldn't trade it. And you're my step-brother Derek. We wouldn't be who we are if we didn't have that relationship."

Derek loosened his arms from her. Definitely, not what he wanted to hear. She felt his arms move. She inclined her head to smile at him and then spoke.

"You have friends – mainly male – who hang out with you, share your scrapes, jokes and stories. You have girlfriends – mainly blonde- some bright, some not so bright who provide…entertainment. But, you and I? There's only one of me in your life; one person who is your age and your step-sister. If I wasn't your step-sister I would fall into one of the other two categories. But I am your step-sister and we have this hate thing going on, and the whole dynamic makes us committed to each other. Admittedly, on occasion we are committed to each other in the way an assassin takes on a hit…" her voice trailed off. "The point is Derek you'll find new friends, new girlfriends, but I doubt you'll ever find another Casey."

"No." He admitted, seriously. "And I think the world can only be too pleased to hear that." They laughed.

"Promise me something Casey McDonald."

"Anything."

"Don't ever fight with anyone else the way you fight with me."

"Likewise."

"Agreed." Derek began to play with her hair, tucking it behind her ear, freeing it and tangling it in his fingers.

"The question is…which side of the camp would you have been if you weren't my step-sister? Friend or girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend. Without question." Casey grinned.

"Because….?"

"Seriously, Derek. Do I look like a female Ralph?" More laughter. "How long do you think I would have lasted? As a girlfriend, I mean."

"Well you've already lasted longer than most of the girls in high school."

"I meant, if this was real. If you really were my boyfriend."

Derek looked thoughtful.

"Princess. You seriously need to wake up and smell the coffee."

"Oh?"

"It doesn't get anymore real than this."

And he caught the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his.

To his relief she responded, but it was different. It began slowly with soft kisses and gentle roaming hands, but after a few minutes the tone changed and it was Casey that was driving it. The Casey he had kissed before had been reserved and holding back. It had still been hot though. This Casey was mind-blowing, unreserved, unrestrained. As their lips moved together, and their tongues began a duel, he could feel her groin rubbing against his through their clothes. The strange thing was, rather than Casey freaking out about it, which he would have expected, she was doing it _deliberately_. Derek was starting to lose control.

"Casey." He panted, slightly amused, when she moved away from his mouth to his neck. "Are you on an agenda here?" Not that his hands and lips weren't as eagerly devouring hers.

"Complaints, Derek?"

"No. It's just…are you sure you know where this is going?" He was unbuttoning her pyjama top now.

"Huh! Like I have a choice." She said bending to kiss his neck again.

"Casey." He said pulling the sleeve from her arm – not easy when her full weight was on his chest. "You have a choice."

She sat up suddenly; almost naked from the waist up, hair ruffled and looking like they had already gone the distance, her eyes burning with a strange quality. Desire.

"No. I don't." she said simply. And with her acquiescence, he realised she was right. No. They really didn't have a choice. Because you can only put certain things off for so long, and making love to Casey was something he had been holding back from for far too long as it was.

And the battle was totally lost. Derek sat up and caught her in his arms. "No more talking." He ordered and started to kiss her again. These kisses burned, enflamed, intoxicated. His hands and fingers caressed, stroked and explored. Casey forgot where Derek finished and she began. Her mind laughed as Shakespeare floated into a brief bubble of consciousness with one phrase. "The beast with two backs." Then she was on the bed pulling him towards her, impatient at the time he took to reach into his drawer for protection and then to put it on.

Afterwards, when they were both exhausted and spent, Casey started to say something, but he put a finger to her lips.

"Tomorrow." He whispered. "Let's go to sleep." He pulled her back into his arms, flicked the TV and the light off, and waited for sleep to come.


End file.
